Word: synth
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...while the syrupy flutes of “Last Hurrah” and the Sega Genesis synth- and slap-bass of “I’ll Tell You” bring a unique musical element to the table, the production values of “11th Hour” will leave modern hip-hop heads wanting more. Here’s where a more long term pursuit of the Deltron route seems like the better option for the Funky Homosapien. Producing your own beats within the style that has defined you may seem to make the most sense...
...earlier material, however, features digital and analogue synthesizers in many of the lead parts. In the absence of electronics, the cello and guitar were left to fill these voids. John Woo, the guitarist, adapted particularly well, using various picking techniques and a glass slide to approximate the synth lines of earlier Magnetic Fields albums. The cello was coated in crisp, low-frequency reverb that took full advantage of Somerville Theater’s excellent acoustics. Bass notes seemingly resonated forever, and higher parts sounded full and organic. Merritt played mostly rhythm on the bouzouki, sharing lead vocals with pianist Claudia...
...they tackle more obscure songs: “Sherlock Holmes,” originally by Sparks, and “Fire in the Western World,” by the recently disbanded Portland band Dead Moon. On “Sherlock Holmes,” the synth flourishes of the original are replaced with a heavy guitar line while Collins showcases his impressive falsetto, transforming the glam rock tune into a darker affair. “Fire in the Western World” conveys less all-out hysteria than the original punk song, with the vocals pushed into the background...
...respectively) terrifying or revolutionary. Even with the lovely Sting-supplied acoustics of “Street Law” and “For My Soldiers,” the best cut on the album is “My Box Chevy.” A rare triumph of synth over sample, “My Box Chevy” is a low-key anthem to a Caprice bought “from an old white couple.” It transcends the low-budget production and the superficially played-out lyrics to become the rare automotive anthem bereft...
...They’re not serious, of course. They’re just pointing out the fact that sex, drugs, and rock and roll is still an alluring—albeit chimeric—dream that provides the basis of modern pop culture. Within the extraordinary parameters of their synth-fueled daydream, success is attained only when they “Choke on [their] vomit / And that will be the end.” The dream they sing about is both extinct and unattainable, and they know it.In short, they’ve nailed the problem to which...