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Product Description
Review
Maximum Balloon is exactly what you might expect from a David Andrew Sitek side project. Since emerging with Brooklyn’s too-cool-for-school TV on the Radio and going on to produce debut albums by Scarlett Johansson and Foals, Sitek has operated in that enviable space where one’s name becomes a byword for hipness while no-one really knows what you look like. His ability to shape dark yet entirely accessible soundscapes that touch on electro, soul and black pop while retaining the otherness of art-rock make him the perfect person to present a multi-vocalist set that occupies a dinner party-friendly middle-ground between Gorillaz and Mark Ronson.
If that reads like backhanded flattery, well, it’s meant to be, but only up to a point. Sitek’s dense and detailed manipulations of synth-pop and line-up of interesting vocalists ensure that Maximum Balloon is never bland. It’s simply that, in deliberately contriving music he sees as lighter than his TVOTR exercises in soulful disquiet – hence the project’s title – Sitek has favoured an arty take on pop, rather than dirty his hands with pop itself. Maximum Balloon makes an impressive noise. But it struggles to make one feel anything more than impressed.
The album’s opening three tracks promise something better. The warm but detached vocals of New York chic-geek Theophilus London ensure that the horny sex-funk of Groove Me doesn’t descend into archness; Katrina Ford’s edgy purr is perfect for Young Love’s synth-pop deluxe; and Tunde Adebimpe brings some trademark TVOTR glower to the gothic disco of Absence of Light. But then Maximum Balloon begins to hang like stylish wallpaper, wrapping the achingly trendy likes of Karen O, Holly Miranda and Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano in a beautifully rendered but predictable wash of groovy sound for the self-consciously hip.
David Byrne’s Apartment Wrestling retrieves attentions with its typically frantic evocations of nerdy autoeroticism, making Sitek’s debt to Talking Heads’ twitchy ethno-funk explicit. But Sitek’s revelation that Maximum Balloon’s major inspiration hails from a Prince B side is the clue. It’s this music boffin one-upmanship, perhaps, that stops Maximum Balloon being a truly great record.
--Gary MulhollandFind more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
CD Description
Maximum Balloon is a new project from David Sitek; guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and producer for TV On The Radio, as well as such critically-acclaimed and popular bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Liars and Scarlett Johansson’s album of Tom Waits covers. Featuring a collective of guest artists, Maximum Balloon’s self titled set include contributions from the likes of Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone from TVOTR, Karen O from Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yukimi Nagano from Little Dragon, Holly Miranda, Theophilus London and more. Aku from Dragons of Zynth is featured on "Tiger", the first track from the album.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Man Without a Soul
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
The TV on the Radio release 'Dear Science' was a firm favourite of mine - it ran the gamut of current indie rock trends but did so with a knowing wink, funky swagger and no lack of energy. Maximum Balloon, the side project spin off brought to us by TVOTR band member and producer Dave Sitek, attempts to take the dancier and funkier songs from that album as its starting blueprint and expanding these ideas towards an even more electronic and layered approach. Not a bad idea on paper - in reality though, this album is for the most part underwhelming.
The influences are familiar; Prince ('Shakedown' in particular), Bowie (the backing vocals of 'Young Love'), Talking Heads (Byrne sings on the none-more-retro 'Apartment Wresting'), The Knife ('If You Return') - and there is nothing wrong with wearing these influences proudly so long as the songs are really memorable and/or the performances take things to a higher level. Unfortunately the songwriting is ho hum in the main and not all the vocalists bring home the bacon. The exceptions are the opening 'Groove Me' that sounds like it could have been lifted directly from 'Dear Science', 'Communion' that features a great vocal turn from Karen O, and the aforementioned 'Apartment Wrestling' that has enough of the flavour of old Talking Heads to win me over. Little Dragon is someone I can take or leave but 'If You Return' does have an undeniable exotic charm and is another definite standout.
There is nothing wrong with the remaining material, the production is excellent as you'd expect, it is just that nothing leaps out of the speakers at you. Decent background party music perhaps? Well, like all party balloons this does it's job but at the end of the night can't disguise the fact that it is ultimately disposable.
The influences are familiar; Prince ('Shakedown' in particular), Bowie (the backing vocals of 'Young Love'), Talking Heads (Byrne sings on the none-more-retro 'Apartment Wresting'), The Knife ('If You Return') - and there is nothing wrong with wearing these influences proudly so long as the songs are really memorable and/or the performances take things to a higher level. Unfortunately the songwriting is ho hum in the main and not all the vocalists bring home the bacon. The exceptions are the opening 'Groove Me' that sounds like it could have been lifted directly from 'Dear Science', 'Communion' that features a great vocal turn from Karen O, and the aforementioned 'Apartment Wrestling' that has enough of the flavour of old Talking Heads to win me over. Little Dragon is someone I can take or leave but 'If You Return' does have an undeniable exotic charm and is another definite standout.
There is nothing wrong with the remaining material, the production is excellent as you'd expect, it is just that nothing leaps out of the speakers at you. Decent background party music perhaps? Well, like all party balloons this does it's job but at the end of the night can't disguise the fact that it is ultimately disposable.
By Paul Blaney
Format:MP3 Download|Amazon Verified Purchase
Can't believe this has had so little review!
TV on the Radio are one of the most innovative bands of recent years. Here we have a side project from members of TV on the Radio along with some guests - with the flavour decidedly electronic.
The sound is absolutely recognisable as Sitek with synths / drum machines. Whether or not you will enjoy this album or not really depends on your love of synthetic sounds and a beat / TV on the Radio.
If you enjoy either of the above, you really should try this out. I did and it will be playing for some time on my CD / mp3 devices.
TV on the Radio are one of the most innovative bands of recent years. Here we have a side project from members of TV on the Radio along with some guests - with the flavour decidedly electronic.
The sound is absolutely recognisable as Sitek with synths / drum machines. Whether or not you will enjoy this album or not really depends on your love of synthetic sounds and a beat / TV on the Radio.
If you enjoy either of the above, you really should try this out. I did and it will be playing for some time on my CD / mp3 devices.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.6 out of 5 stars
5 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Went out and Made a Great Record
8 Oct 2010
By Quest
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
The new solo outfit for grand record and band producer, Dave Sitek. Most would site Sitek as a member of TV on the Radio. They would be correct. He is a stealthy producer, who like DJ Shadow before him, can meld musical styles and mix them in to a dreamy, reverberated wash of waves.
He seems to have been writing funkier beats and highly programmed music sequences in this one. Just look at how funky Dear Science was compared to Mountain. I like his use of small brass bands with the ever present Stuart Boogie. Does Sitek play any horns himself?
"Young Love" with Ford is crooning and a real beautiful track. "Apartment Wrestling" is that funk and Detroit via Germany masterpiece that is eviendant of his current output, dance music. I loved the last Dragon of Zynth record, but the tracks on Maximum Ballon that feature the guys from that band are lyric weirdness, for weirds' sake (not a bad thing). That said, "Tiger" is a hot, hot jam. Love the extra sound and rhythms Sitek exploits here. The synths seem to dreamily melt in to other parts and still remain very spontaneous and fresh. This record will be a sleeper type release from someone that tweaks the mix for well-known lineups.
But that should not stop those interested in some new sounds from buying this release.
Sitek is a very Creative musician who continues to create excellent sound paintings.
He seems to have been writing funkier beats and highly programmed music sequences in this one. Just look at how funky Dear Science was compared to Mountain. I like his use of small brass bands with the ever present Stuart Boogie. Does Sitek play any horns himself?
"Young Love" with Ford is crooning and a real beautiful track. "Apartment Wrestling" is that funk and Detroit via Germany masterpiece that is eviendant of his current output, dance music. I loved the last Dragon of Zynth record, but the tracks on Maximum Ballon that feature the guys from that band are lyric weirdness, for weirds' sake (not a bad thing). That said, "Tiger" is a hot, hot jam. Love the extra sound and rhythms Sitek exploits here. The synths seem to dreamily melt in to other parts and still remain very spontaneous and fresh. This record will be a sleeper type release from someone that tweaks the mix for well-known lineups.
But that should not stop those interested in some new sounds from buying this release.
Sitek is a very Creative musician who continues to create excellent sound paintings.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Let your tiger out
28 Oct 2010
By E. Kutinsky
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
The Maximum Balloon record opens with a set of increasing bleeps that sound something like a spaceship landing in the middle of a dance club. The song, "Groove Me," with vocals by Theophilus London, is a welcome treat - a soul and funk explosion cake topped with an indie glaze that can't help but make you smile. The best thing about Maximum Balloon, the electro-hipster compilation by TV On The Radio producer Dave Sitek, is that that smile almost never disappears, even as it gets tired a bit. You hear TV's influence abounding anyway - the wise, supporting background vocals on "Young Love," the beat poetry of lyrics in "Absence of Light" - but Sitek's unbound himself from that band's grand experiments in indie-industrial soundscapes. That allows him to make simply perfect dance songs - the Karen O 80s-new-wave "Communion," the agro-funk "Tiger," the Missing-Persons-helps-you-fall-in-love hope of "Young Love." That's the best of both worlds, making Maximum Balloon as wise as it is danceable. I don't love every second of the record - TV's Kyp Malone's vocals on "Shakedown" are forgettable, and I just found the inclusion of David Byrne's vocals on "Apartment Wrestling" made me think about nothing but how strange Byrne's vocals sounded. Still, Maximum Balloon is a record to be treasured - a wild, giddy, occasionally deep trip inside Sitek's endless sense of rhythm and wonder.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
One funky balloon!
1 Oct 2010
By Nse Ette
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
"Maximum Balloon" is the weirdly funky eponymous debut by producer du jour Dave Sitek from the band TV On The Radio. At 10 tracks, the CD cuts straight to the chase and features contributions from fellow bandmates Tunde Adebimpe on the fuzzy "Absence Of Light" ("in the absence of light, we're the same thing"), and a ghostly Kyp Malone on the jazzy space funk "Shakedown", as well as a diverse horde of pals available on his speed dial.
"Groove Me" features a spoken/sung performance by Theophilus London, and "Young Love" features Katrina Ford. The Oriental synth-driven "If You Return" has Little Dragon (who also appeared on The Gorillaz latest album), while Karen O lends her glacial cool vocals to the smooth "Communion". "Tiger" is bouncy with a buzzing riff and features a soulful Aku Orraca-Tetteh (and some funky guitar), Holly Miranda (whose album "The Magician's Private Library" he produced) appears on the creepy ballad "The Lesson", while David Byrne appears on "Apartment Wrestling" (with nice parping horns). Closing is the ethereal distorted "Pink Bricks" with Ambrosia Nicole Parsley. A stellar collection which shines!
"Groove Me" features a spoken/sung performance by Theophilus London, and "Young Love" features Katrina Ford. The Oriental synth-driven "If You Return" has Little Dragon (who also appeared on The Gorillaz latest album), while Karen O lends her glacial cool vocals to the smooth "Communion". "Tiger" is bouncy with a buzzing riff and features a soulful Aku Orraca-Tetteh (and some funky guitar), Holly Miranda (whose album "The Magician's Private Library" he produced) appears on the creepy ballad "The Lesson", while David Byrne appears on "Apartment Wrestling" (with nice parping horns). Closing is the ethereal distorted "Pink Bricks" with Ambrosia Nicole Parsley. A stellar collection which shines!
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4.6 out of 5 stars
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