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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Overglazed |
| 2. Bang On |
| 3. Night of Joy |
| 4. We're Gonna Rise |
| 5. German Studies |
| 6. Spark |
| 7. Istanbul |
| 8. Walk It Off |
| 9. Regalame Esta Noche |
| 10. Here No More |
| 11. No Way |
| 12. It's the Love |
| 13. Mountain Battles |
Product Description
Review
The Breeders are back after an extended six year hiatus following 2002 album Title TK. Not that this has done them any harm, from the sounds of Mountain Battles. Pixies bassist Kim Deal, twin sister Kelley, Jose Medeles and Mando Lopez have put together a collection of short, sharp songs that rarely bother the threee-minute timer.
It's still a raw, sparse, lo-fi sound, with the band restraining the monster sound you know they could make if they chose to. Instead they've attempted something far more interesting.
Opener Overglazed has a stripped-back joyous feel to it, with barely any lyrics. It grabs you by the throat. Following track Bang On changes direction completely with a thumping drum line and defiant lyrics: ''I love no one/and no one loves me''. Right from the start Mountain Battles defies attempts to put it in a box.
The lazy charm of We're Gonna Rise is followed by a harmony-laden treat in the form of German Studies, which combines brain-hooking riffs with lyrics entirely in German. Not content with tackling one foreign language, Kelley takes over lead vocals on Spanish song Reglalame Esta Noche, creating a little slice of loveliness.
Country tones then get a look in on Here No More, but then the sound switches to buzzing, old-school guitars and minimalist vocals on No Way, and then segues to the punk-ish It's The Love. Somehow, seemingly in defiance of logic, it all fits together. Just don't question how.
The whole album is like a pared-down slap round the side of the face, defiantly avoiding being over-produced or effects-laden. Such sparseness makes for attention-grabbing, but despite the plethora of styles, on some tracks you just need a little more sonic depth. You can't help wondering what kind of blistering gems this lot could have produced if they really let rip in the studio. --Helen Groom
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Contrary to Rezzaks review - I think the sound of this album COMPLETELY works and is not the first time they have recorded this way - Listen to their finest work on POD!!!
In fact it is quite refreshing not to hear an overproduced sound nowadays. i'm only on my second listen but it's probably their finest and most surprising work to date
In fact it is quite refreshing not to hear an overproduced sound nowadays. i'm only on my second listen but it's probably their finest and most surprising work to date
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Despite a promising start, Mountain Battles never recreates the form shown on Last Splash or in the band members's other projects The Pixies and Throwing Muses.
Not that The Breeders are ready to be put out to grass just yet - tracks like Bang On, Istanbul and No Way demonstrate that there's plenty of worth in Mountain Battles, and followers of The Breeders will be satisfied at what is an increasingly rare outing for the group.
There's just too many disappointments in between holding the album back for the casual listener.
Review taken from my blog at echoisaacashe.blogspot.com.
Not that The Breeders are ready to be put out to grass just yet - tracks like Bang On, Istanbul and No Way demonstrate that there's plenty of worth in Mountain Battles, and followers of The Breeders will be satisfied at what is an increasingly rare outing for the group.
There's just too many disappointments in between holding the album back for the casual listener.
Review taken from my blog at echoisaacashe.blogspot.com.
Format:Audio CD
I wish folk would stop droning on about The Last Splash. The Breeders have made 4 albums &, on reflection, it's The Last Splash that's the aberration. Commercial, compromised, a handful of great tracks surrounded by a bunch of mediocre ones. Their 2 LPs since, Mountain Battles & Title TK, hark back to the muddier basement atmospheres of Pod, their 1990 debut, & both find Kim & Kelley single-mindedly forging their own opaque path. Of the 2, Title TK is the most accessible (by a whisker), but Mountain Battles definitely shouldn't be ignored - it's a smouldering, shadowy collection of songs that evades obvious tangibility. The entire LP seems audibly smeared somehow, & is curiously, tantilisingly indecipherable, even down to the noncommittal title. So many (unanswered) questions. Personally, I love it (& them).
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
cool as incemelt
intellegent, experimental and sonically fascinating, this album takes the listener to somewhere they would n' t be if they hadn't heard it. Read more
Published 19 months ago by lupinwe collides
Highly underrated!!
The best Breeders release since Last Splash. While not being the most cohesive album, Mountain Battles is definitely the best sounding. Read more
Published on 11 May 2009 by Ms. J. Tyrrell
Warm Analogue Sound!
I bought this album the day it came out (ignoring the fact it had already been leaked on the net). I was gobsmacked how muddy the sound was at first. Read more
Published on 15 April 2009 by P. Stanley
A great, great album
Easily their best. If you like imaginative, experimental, intelligent music then this is for you.
Published on 29 Jan 2009 by pencil
Think they forgot the music
Really boring album. All the tracks are slow and quiet and are basically just Kim talkin over a guitar being gently strummed.
A breeders fan and not impressed.
A breeders fan and not impressed.
Published on 7 May 2008 by M. A. Blacknell
Bang On
This album probably won't win any new fans but to the converted it shouldn't hold any surprises; it's a typically bittersweet eclectic set from the Breeders and will grow on you... Read more
Published on 15 April 2008 by Gp Ellis
What happened?
This could have been a great EP but as an album it's a huge disappointment. Title TK was a fascinating record but Mountain Battles just meanders about a bit and ultimately... Read more
Published on 15 April 2008 by GDeeee
another great breeders album
If you like their other albums your love this I. It's great as its different to the other ones in a good way with cool songs that rock out, nice mellow numbers and everything else... Read more
Published on 13 April 2008 by Zenstoner
another great breeders album
If you like their other albums your love this I. It's great as its different to the other ones in a good way with cool songs that rock out, nice mellow numbers and everything else... Read more
Published on 13 April 2008 by Zenstoner
Worth the wait!
This album is excellent....from first listen I loved it. It's melodic and Kim Deal has the perfect voice for this indie guitar rock. Read more
Published on 12 April 2008 by Mark White
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