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Track Listings
| 1. Space Maker |
| 2. Once Upon A Time |
| 3. One Hell Of A Party (Feat. Jarvis Cocker) |
| 4. Napalm Love |
| 5. Mayfair Song |
| 6. Left Bank |
| 7. Photograph |
| 8. Mer Du Japon |
| 9. Lost Message |
| 10. Somewhere Between Waking And Sleeping (Feat.N Hannon) |
| 11. Redhead Girl |
| 12. Night Sight |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
Truthfully it's been some time since Air's Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunkel could truthfully be said to be pop musicians, but their fourth album Pocket Symphony journeys further from the pop firmament than ever before. Slow, stately songs built around the tick of electronic drums, the trill of vintage synthesisers, and somewhat unexpectedly, some traditional Japanese instruments – the koto, a Japanese floor harp, and the banjo-like shamisen – it's an album apparently more concerned with texture and mood than crafting catchy pop fromage.
Certainly, it often does it well: 'Mayfair Song' locks into a dazed, lightly cosmic groove oddly reminiscent of Talk Talk circa Spirit Of Eden, all purposeful piano and moody, drifting bass, while the blissful 'Photograph' sees angelic vocals submerged within a tide of shimmering strings and trilling chimes. For the most part, vocals are fairly sparse, but there are two guest spots: the first from Jarvis Cocker, who murmurs like Scott Walker with a sore head through 'Hell Of A Party', and the second from The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon, who invests 'Somewhere Between Waking And Sleeping' with an impressive melancholy soul. At first, it sounds slight, but carry Pocket Symphony with you, and feel it slowly work its magic. –-Louis Pattison
Product Description
CD
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Air can be relied on to stick to a signature sound -- lush and dreamlike -- and still be able to wedge in a bit of new material.
In the case of "Pocket Symphony," they stick pretty much to the same formula as their previous release, "Talkie Walkie" -- sweet, slightly symphonic electropop that sounds like something to dream to Yeah, same ol'. Yet somehow that does't interfere with the enjoyability of this pretty, satiny music.
It opens with a hollow tapping and a soft acoustic riff melted into a piano melody. By the time the soft waves of synth kick in, the little melody is quietly hypnotic, as it expands into a shimmering little piano-synth epic... only to coil back up into its piano melody and hollow drumming.
That's "Space Maker," and it's only the warmup for the remaining songs. Air trips softly through a series of songs that are mainly gentle electropop, but with a few classical flourishes sprinkled throughout it. Piano, strings and a bit of horn all make their way into the music.
And they manage a few odd twists, which break the music out of its somnolent sound, and keep it from sounding monotonous -- rippling piano laced with twinkly synth, twisty synthpop, glitchy balladry, and an acoustic ballad or two with some soft keyboard. They even have the spare, twangy Asian-inspired sound of "One Hell of a Party."
Basically, "Pocket Symphony" has Air's trademark sound, which hasn't change substantially since the less soothing electronics of "10,000hz Legend," but they can spice it up with some unexpected twists and new sounds. Not a huge surprise, but very beautiful and soothing nonetheless.
The music itself is a shimmering weave of instrumentation and synth.... Read more ›
In the case of "Pocket Symphony," they stick pretty much to the same formula as their previous release, "Talkie Walkie" -- sweet, slightly symphonic electropop that sounds like something to dream to Yeah, same ol'. Yet somehow that does't interfere with the enjoyability of this pretty, satiny music.
It opens with a hollow tapping and a soft acoustic riff melted into a piano melody. By the time the soft waves of synth kick in, the little melody is quietly hypnotic, as it expands into a shimmering little piano-synth epic... only to coil back up into its piano melody and hollow drumming.
That's "Space Maker," and it's only the warmup for the remaining songs. Air trips softly through a series of songs that are mainly gentle electropop, but with a few classical flourishes sprinkled throughout it. Piano, strings and a bit of horn all make their way into the music.
And they manage a few odd twists, which break the music out of its somnolent sound, and keep it from sounding monotonous -- rippling piano laced with twinkly synth, twisty synthpop, glitchy balladry, and an acoustic ballad or two with some soft keyboard. They even have the spare, twangy Asian-inspired sound of "One Hell of a Party."
Basically, "Pocket Symphony" has Air's trademark sound, which hasn't change substantially since the less soothing electronics of "10,000hz Legend," but they can spice it up with some unexpected twists and new sounds. Not a huge surprise, but very beautiful and soothing nonetheless.
The music itself is a shimmering weave of instrumentation and synth.... Read more ›
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Now almost 10 years since the classic Moon Safari was released, Monsieurs Dunckel and Godin once again emerge from their Parisian bunker with another slice of Gallic-tinged soundscapes, whispy melodies and movie-like operatics.
Pocket Symphony is AIR's fourth `proper' album but unlike their criminally underrated prog experiment 10,000hz Legend and the slightly disappointing follow-up Talkie Walkie, this album has more in common with their motion picture soundtrack to Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides.
For the uninitiated Pocket Symphony might be difficult to like. There's none of the duo's breezy melodies of Moon Safari or the hard electronic stylings of 10,000hz. Indeed, there isn't even a hint of a `radio-friendly' track so forget anything as catchy as Cherry Blossom Girl here. Pocket Symphony is slow and stately, melancholy and sombre. Like most of AIR's output, it's upon repeated listenings that this album really starts to weave it's magic. This is an album that demands you invest time to explore it's sparse but somehow lush world.
Common person Jarvis Cocker and The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon provide guest vocals on One Hell of a Party and Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping, injecting both tracks with plenty of downbeat, weary understatement.
Pocket Symphony will probably appease fans desperate for new material but it may be just too impenetrable for newcomers. It's a fine album no doubt, although it certainly isn't easy.
Pocket Symphony is AIR's fourth `proper' album but unlike their criminally underrated prog experiment 10,000hz Legend and the slightly disappointing follow-up Talkie Walkie, this album has more in common with their motion picture soundtrack to Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides.
For the uninitiated Pocket Symphony might be difficult to like. There's none of the duo's breezy melodies of Moon Safari or the hard electronic stylings of 10,000hz. Indeed, there isn't even a hint of a `radio-friendly' track so forget anything as catchy as Cherry Blossom Girl here. Pocket Symphony is slow and stately, melancholy and sombre. Like most of AIR's output, it's upon repeated listenings that this album really starts to weave it's magic. This is an album that demands you invest time to explore it's sparse but somehow lush world.
Common person Jarvis Cocker and The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon provide guest vocals on One Hell of a Party and Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping, injecting both tracks with plenty of downbeat, weary understatement.
Pocket Symphony will probably appease fans desperate for new material but it may be just too impenetrable for newcomers. It's a fine album no doubt, although it certainly isn't easy.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By saikobjorn
Format:Audio CD
I think Pocket Symphony is a brilliant production in many ways; it works nicely as a floating, semi-challenging, time-consuming atmosphere. Not many hits on this record, but who needs hits when you get a good, solid load of tracks - like the almost ingenious "One Hell of a Party" (channeling a smooth, dark feel through the rusty voice of Jarvis Cocker) and "Mer du Japon" and its beautiful samples of the Japanese Sea (like in Alone in Kyoto). "Mayfair Song" is also a really nice tune, featuring the choir/robot-like voice also heard in "Run" on the Talkie Walkie album.
In my opinion, a nice approach from Godin and Darkel. Check it out!
If you've already heard Moon Safari and Talkie Walkie, however, I would recommend 10,000 Hz Legend instead of this - if you want Air with a twist of darkness, that is.
In my opinion, a nice approach from Godin and Darkel. Check it out!
If you've already heard Moon Safari and Talkie Walkie, however, I would recommend 10,000 Hz Legend instead of this - if you want Air with a twist of darkness, that is.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Bruce Percy
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
It seems that every alternate AIR album is a good one. Talkie Walkie was a lovely album but Pocket Symphony leaves me cold. There are perhaps around three tracks on this that are good - Once Upon a Time, Photograph and Night Sight are standouts, but the collaborations are pretty dire with Jarvis Cocker's Party getting my vote for weakest effort on this album.
My advice would be to save your money on this one and go out and buy Charlotte Gainsbourg's 5:55 album, which was written and produced by AIR, and is more of a melodical AIR effort than this patchy piece of work.
My advice would be to save your money on this one and go out and buy Charlotte Gainsbourg's 5:55 album, which was written and produced by AIR, and is more of a melodical AIR effort than this patchy piece of work.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's not Moon Safari, or Talkie Walkie, but it's still a good album in its own right.
12 Mar 2007
By M. Hamer
Format:Audio CD
I've read all the other reviews of Air,s new album Pocket Symphony, and its obvious that there are two camps of opinion. No it's not Moon Safari, or the brilliant Talkie Walkie, but it's still a good album in its own right. After all talented artists need to move on. We don't continuously want re-makes of Moon Safari do we? (surely).
Pocket Symphony is a lot more melancholy and sombre, and doesn't have any lighter tracks to break it up, and therefore each track tends to blend into the next. In which case it becomes more ambient, musical wallpaper than an album of stand out tracks, But that's OK.
However sometimes I feel Air know exactly what they're doing, I mean ...you can just imagine advertising companies and Sophia Coppola on the phone right now.
There are a couple of guest appearances as well. Jarvis Cocker mumbles through "One hell of a party" sounding like he has the mother of all hangovers. Neil Hannon on "Somewhere between waking and sleeping", but JB Dunckel still gives the best performance vocal wise.
Not the best album to date, and in summery...I think maybe one problem with this album, is there are no real stand out tracks, and therefore doesn't really take you anywhere. It's probably best played as back ground more than anything...definitely not a driving CD!
I'm personally giving it 4 stars, because although its not what Air fans may have expected, its still a good album in it's own right, which I'm sure that given the chance it will grow on you, as it has me.
Pocket Symphony is a lot more melancholy and sombre, and doesn't have any lighter tracks to break it up, and therefore each track tends to blend into the next. In which case it becomes more ambient, musical wallpaper than an album of stand out tracks, But that's OK.
However sometimes I feel Air know exactly what they're doing, I mean ...you can just imagine advertising companies and Sophia Coppola on the phone right now.
There are a couple of guest appearances as well. Jarvis Cocker mumbles through "One hell of a party" sounding like he has the mother of all hangovers. Neil Hannon on "Somewhere between waking and sleeping", but JB Dunckel still gives the best performance vocal wise.
Not the best album to date, and in summery...I think maybe one problem with this album, is there are no real stand out tracks, and therefore doesn't really take you anywhere. It's probably best played as back ground more than anything...definitely not a driving CD!
I'm personally giving it 4 stars, because although its not what Air fans may have expected, its still a good album in it's own right, which I'm sure that given the chance it will grow on you, as it has me.
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3.7 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A long time coming
I have not been very impressed with the offerings from Air since the fantastic Moon Safari. Talkie Walkie had some good moments and was listenable up to a point. Read more
Published on 22 Dec 2010 by Mr. H. Jones
2.0 out of 5 stars
2 or 3 songs, and the rest...?
A few years ago Air did a song called "Don't Be Light". It wasn't very Air-esque but it hit the spot. Listening to Air in 2007 I just wish they'd follow their own advice. Read more
Published on 30 Nov 2007 by AD
3.0 out of 5 stars
Smooth and refined
To be brief, it's a wholly satisfactory album. There's nothing clunky or abrasive here yet it's a record which has plenty of understated energy. Read more
Published on 11 Oct 2007 by R. Herriott
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb
Suddenly you will find yourself at the end of this album wondering where the time went. There are no jarring moments of pop and no unsuccessful experimentation. Read more
Published on 19 Jun 2007 by Gordon Johnston
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Return
"Pocket Symphony" does not immediately stand out as an Air album and is clearly a break from their normal style. Read more
Published on 6 May 2007 by James Berry
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great ideas
Air have a sound and a style that is their own but part of their appeal is that their references are explicit. This album is no exception. Read more
Published on 18 April 2007 by Douglas Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's no Moon Safari, but nothing ever will be
I haven't got this album yet, but I listened to it plenty on Air's official Myspace before they released the album, and it's definitely a brilliant piece of work. Read more
Published on 19 Mar 2007 by Mr. G. S. Rai
5.0 out of 5 stars
Please look past the negative reviews....
To say there are not standout tracks is ridiculous - I will name the following tracks that have been on repeat because they're fantastic, listen to these tracks if you can and then... Read more
Published on 15 Mar 2007 by Mr. A. FINN
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