The Critical Asshole: Listening to...

I will be honest—as I am prone and not prone to be—I am not able to write a balanced review of this album. This is just too good. What we have is a band from Montreal, Canada that was essentially trained and bred to produce that style of NYC new wave bullshit that has been popular and present for too long. It’s done—what has emerged from this sophomore release is a retro-look and return or “take” on a more rootsy type of rock. One would never classify this as alt-country. There is too much style—due in part to the velvety-smooth singing from Tim Fletcher and a stunning reinvention of production by Gus Van Go.
The concept is stunningly simple: big beats, big piano chords, big horns, stunning electric guitar leads, and lyrics that paint a clear and accessible picture. The new rock that has emerged elsewhere—the critical favorite of all the big magazines—is becoming snobby, unoriginal, and frankly…unlistenable. Real people don’t have Yo La Tengo emotions—at least not any of the real people I know. Sure, it’s fun to dress like your crazy uncle and drink red wine, but if it’s theatre and elitism that I want, I’ll listen to NPR like everyone else.
Starting off with galloping electric guitar “In the Beginning” asks us questions How did this start?/And where did we begin/In a ball of fire/And stars and suns/And that brings me here, now/Where my heart’s caving in almost asking the listener to ponder what creative and emotional steps were taken that led this group to this beginning. From there we’re taken on a journey through a burned forest and a rusted house in “The Mountain” only to be dragged up to the roof on a desolate winters day to ponder in “She’s Walking Out.” “Helicopters” is a jaunt in familiar indie-pop territory likening itself to much of what was found on Logic Will Break Your Heart.

*As a side note: the presence of animals on this album is pronounced. For your enjoyment, a list of every animal sung of on this record…

…wolves, wild dogs, spider, butterflies, crows, whale, elephant, dinosaur, shark, tiger, doggy…

thank you*

Speaking of familiar indie-pop territory, “Baby Blues” features a duet with the lovely Emily Haines of Metric (it’s okay to be snobby and hipster if you’re actually fucking talented).

A couple of repeat-worthy items:

“She’s Walking Out” - Sexy, at times melodramatic with lucious organ drawls. Brings a long awaited return to electric guitar lead lines that have been absent from pop music ever since we all got tired of hearing “Cliffs of Dover” at every damn sporting event we went to. A big bridge provides an emotional transition to the understated end (that’s identical to the understated beginning).
“Oh Shoplifter” - Sounds like a glorified indie-pop jam session (Note the dialogue/rehearsal meanderings during the fade in). The song sways and rollicks making even this Critical Asshole want to reach for a pair of maracas and a joint.
“Helicopters” - you can tell by this song that the beat is what makes this band strong…this seems to be a return to the doldrum Echo and the Bunnymen-esque, new wave direction fortified from Logic.