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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
3 classic albums in a row, 7 April 2007
To be direct and clear, Blonde Redhead's 7th LP, "23", is exactly at the cross of Emiliana Torrini's "Love In The Time Of Science", Mercury Rev's "All Is Dream" and My Bloody Valentine's "Loveless" (Alan Moulder, engineer for that last record, has mixed two tracks of the present item, and that's saying something). And yes, it's THAT good.
I don't wanna quote any song "in particular" (private joke, when you get me...), as each of the ten here are absolute gems. But to fans of the previous two albums, namely "Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons" (2000) and follow-up "Misery Is A Butterfly" (2004, and their 4AD debut), be warned that "23" is a work that might not appeal on first listen. To be more accurate, the production is far less "organic" than Guy Picciotto's job on these masterpieces, as the trio seems to have oriented their sound towards both a much poppier and etherial approach (ranking this LP alongside earlier 4AD releases, like Cocteau Twins's "Treasure"), while also deciding to produce it themselves, to obtain a more hypnotic feel to most of the material featured here.
Anyhow, if their first four Lps showcased an obvious Sonic Youth-oriented sound, it took them the last 8 years and an awful lot of time getting their act together to stand, eventually, among American's Alternative Music Scene's best acts at a unique place: a band as much treasured for the universality of their melodies as for the way they find out how best to carve these marvels deep inside our hearts, bodies and souls.
A strong contender for album of the year, NO LESS.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
What a discovery, 23 May 2007
I had never heard of Blonde Redhead until I listened to their latest album in my local Fopp store. Wow! I was instantly taken aback by their sound and decided to purchase the CD. Not a bad decision at all in hindesight.
The female singer has, as a previous reviewer said a ghostly and quite unique voice which immediately caught my attention. I especially like the opening track '23', 'Heroine' and the stunning 'Silently' (my favourite) sung by her. I like other tracks by the male members of the group 'Spring and by summer fall' a really energetic and slightly rocky number which effectively varies the tone of the album.
I have played this album a lot and I'm not bored yet. A real find! I will now have to investigate their other albums. Album of the year for me so far.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
23 magic, 10 April 2007
Blonde Redhead has really softened over the years -- you won't find angular melodies and jagged guitars in "23."
In fact, it's not really rock at all. Instead the New York band spins out full-blown, sensual melodies out of smooth keyboard and gently cycling riffs. They try out all kinds of pop sounds here, but never lose the delicate dreampop edge.
It opens with a few echoing, ringing chords.... before bursting into a strong, swirling dreampop melody, which would sound ghostly if it weren't so vibrant. Then Kazu Makino's ethereal voice murmurs, "23 seconds, all things we love will die/23 magic, if you can change your life/Your tainted heart, my tainted love, repent now..."
That song is the springboard for the rest of the album, which balances out between guitars and shimmery synth. It's full of driving guitarpop with a trippy edge, delicate pop ditties, blurry trip-hop, shimmering dreampop, and quirky fusion songs like the overstuffed spring ditty "Spring and By Summer Fall."
It's a pretty big change from their last album "Misery is a Butterfly," which was sort of soft indie-rock, and an even bigger change from the albums before it. But if you're going to depart from an old sound, then make it worthwhile -- and fortunately, they have.
Musically, it's all heavy on guitars and synth, which get mingled together into one big shimmering mass. The guitars can ring and chime, then can kick itno a driving rock riff, while the keyboard is almost as versatile -- it can buzz, shimmer, sweep and ripple over the guitarpop melodies.
The blurrier songs like "Publisher," are perhaps the only problem, actually, since they sound less refined and more lo-fi. They don't fit in well.
Makino's voice is almost painfully ethereal; she sounds positively ghostly at times. The songs she sings don't hurt the impression -- they're full of pain, loneliness, and even when you're happy, it can't last. "The glow you see on my face, you do have something to do with/Fear starts creeping up when you have so much to lose/Your love wait you while you're cheating/Lighting strikes you when you're moving..."
This is not quite the same Blonde Redhead as in their prior albums, but they're as good at exquisite shimmering pop as they are at indie-rock.
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