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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The long awaited follow up to Autolux's outstanding debut 'Future Perfect' is finally here! With six years having passed and a number of delayed and postponed release dates for 'Transit Transit', it is finally seeping through my speakers via myspace, its official release date being August 2nd. As an enormous fan of 'Future Perfect' my excitement at the release of 'Transit Transit' has been building and gathering momentum with every failed release date over the last two years or so.
However, I wonder if it is for this reason that on my first hearing I feel slightly disappointed. Maybe with a few more listens it will grow into an equally fitting follow up to a debut of such promise and potential, yet my immediate response is one of frustration. Whilst there is nothing particularly wrong with any of these new tracks, it is hard to detect any of the beauty or intensity present on their debut offering.
The main problem here appears to be a far greater leaning towards experimentalism than is really necassary. Autolux have always possessed a deftly balanced formula of Sonic Youth-esque experimentation and wonderfully simplistic hooks, 'Turnstile Blues', 'Blanket' and 'Capital Kind of Strain' being clear examples. This time around, at least after only one listen, the hooks and melodies are few and far between. 'Supertoys', the lead single from 'Transit Transit', clearly demonstrates this point, sounding rather like and interesting b-side than a surging return from a six year absence. In fact, 'Supertoys' quite adequately epotomises my view of the album as a whole; while it is more than capable of drawing you in, it's just crying out for a little bit more, something to transform it from a good idea into a great song. Other tracks to illustrate this point further appear in the form of 'Kissproof' and 'Headless Sky', each displaying plenty of promise yet not quite delivering in the way one would hope .
The album's obvious highlights both feature drummer Carla Azar on vocals, a direction I would love to see more of if the band continue in the path of 'Transit Transit'. In the absence of any real musical hooks, the beautiful fragility and subtlety of Azar's vocals create a wonderfully dream-like effect on 'The Bouncing Wall' and achieve similar results on album closer 'The Science of Imaginary Solutions'. So, in spite of my slight disappointment that 'Transit Transit' doesn't quite meet the dizzying expectations set by 'Future Perfect', it is still one of the best albums I've heard so far this year.
However, I wonder if it is for this reason that on my first hearing I feel slightly disappointed. Maybe with a few more listens it will grow into an equally fitting follow up to a debut of such promise and potential, yet my immediate response is one of frustration. Whilst there is nothing particularly wrong with any of these new tracks, it is hard to detect any of the beauty or intensity present on their debut offering.
The main problem here appears to be a far greater leaning towards experimentalism than is really necassary. Autolux have always possessed a deftly balanced formula of Sonic Youth-esque experimentation and wonderfully simplistic hooks, 'Turnstile Blues', 'Blanket' and 'Capital Kind of Strain' being clear examples. This time around, at least after only one listen, the hooks and melodies are few and far between. 'Supertoys', the lead single from 'Transit Transit', clearly demonstrates this point, sounding rather like and interesting b-side than a surging return from a six year absence. In fact, 'Supertoys' quite adequately epotomises my view of the album as a whole; while it is more than capable of drawing you in, it's just crying out for a little bit more, something to transform it from a good idea into a great song. Other tracks to illustrate this point further appear in the form of 'Kissproof' and 'Headless Sky', each displaying plenty of promise yet not quite delivering in the way one would hope .
The album's obvious highlights both feature drummer Carla Azar on vocals, a direction I would love to see more of if the band continue in the path of 'Transit Transit'. In the absence of any real musical hooks, the beautiful fragility and subtlety of Azar's vocals create a wonderfully dream-like effect on 'The Bouncing Wall' and achieve similar results on album closer 'The Science of Imaginary Solutions'. So, in spite of my slight disappointment that 'Transit Transit' doesn't quite meet the dizzying expectations set by 'Future Perfect', it is still one of the best albums I've heard so far this year.
Format:MP3 Download
Having never bought Autolux's first album I didn't really know what to expect. When I heard this album i was thrilled to hear music to the highest standard (although it may not be so easy to listen to). Census is a particulary great song as all the rest are.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
13 reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Yes, autolux does it again
9 Aug 2010
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Consider this a preemptive strike against the inevitable backlash of the usual complaints: they've been working on this for six years (not the case. They spent much of that time deciding how to release the album), it doesn't sound exactly like Future Perfect. While the second may hold some accuracy, it ignores the exciting leaps forward that Autolux have taken with their sound.
What's new is a significant amount of sparse moments, space unfilled, perhaps you could call it a greater "Radiohead-esqueness," through the use of piano and electronic beats. If the entire album sounded like this, I could understand the complaints, but there are plenty of moments of the old noisy rock-out Autolux as well.
Perhaps the new elements stand out so much, they are off-putting to listeners that wanted Future Perfect part 2. Give these tracks a chance and they will end up being highlights. SPOTS is a haunting, beautiful song, and an incredible improvement on the melancholy of GREAT DAYS FOR THE PASSENGER ELEMENT. THE BOUNCING WALL is a great nod to `60s flavored psychedelic pop. Fans of the British band Broadcast will take note. HIGHCHAIR is built around a hypnotic beat that comprises of electronic and live percussion.
Meanwhile, Autolux continues to combine perfect pop catchiness and propulsive interstellar rock on songs like CENSUS, SUPERTOYS and KISSPROOF. There are wonderful touches, like the spacey effects that come in towards the end of CENSUS and the toy piano that rings out in this midst of the dirge-heavy HEADLESS SKY. The album's beautifully swirling closer, THE SCIENCE OF IMAGINARY SOLUTIONS, is punctuated by jarring blasts of noise at the minute and a half mark, and then it lifts upwards carrying the listener out on a more skyward note than on Future Perfect.
A track by track comparison of two such remarkable albums seems irrelevant, but it is worth noting that everything on Transit Transit is more interesting than ROBOTS IN THE GARDEN and ASLEEP AT THE TRIGGER from the first album. Every new track is multifaceted and is masterfully crafted from a range of ideas.
So, put aside what you were expecting to hear, and embrace this exciting step forward by one of the most interesting bands out there.
What's new is a significant amount of sparse moments, space unfilled, perhaps you could call it a greater "Radiohead-esqueness," through the use of piano and electronic beats. If the entire album sounded like this, I could understand the complaints, but there are plenty of moments of the old noisy rock-out Autolux as well.
Perhaps the new elements stand out so much, they are off-putting to listeners that wanted Future Perfect part 2. Give these tracks a chance and they will end up being highlights. SPOTS is a haunting, beautiful song, and an incredible improvement on the melancholy of GREAT DAYS FOR THE PASSENGER ELEMENT. THE BOUNCING WALL is a great nod to `60s flavored psychedelic pop. Fans of the British band Broadcast will take note. HIGHCHAIR is built around a hypnotic beat that comprises of electronic and live percussion.
Meanwhile, Autolux continues to combine perfect pop catchiness and propulsive interstellar rock on songs like CENSUS, SUPERTOYS and KISSPROOF. There are wonderful touches, like the spacey effects that come in towards the end of CENSUS and the toy piano that rings out in this midst of the dirge-heavy HEADLESS SKY. The album's beautifully swirling closer, THE SCIENCE OF IMAGINARY SOLUTIONS, is punctuated by jarring blasts of noise at the minute and a half mark, and then it lifts upwards carrying the listener out on a more skyward note than on Future Perfect.
A track by track comparison of two such remarkable albums seems irrelevant, but it is worth noting that everything on Transit Transit is more interesting than ROBOTS IN THE GARDEN and ASLEEP AT THE TRIGGER from the first album. Every new track is multifaceted and is masterfully crafted from a range of ideas.
So, put aside what you were expecting to hear, and embrace this exciting step forward by one of the most interesting bands out there.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Smooth yet satsifying
7 Aug 2010
Format:Audio CD
The new release by Autolux overall carries on brilliant work set out by "Future Perfect" six years ago...
While the noise and hard charging attitude seems to have mellowed somewhat, the trio seems to have honed their songwriting abilities and appear to have become better musicians in the interim. This represents somewhat of a departure from Autolux's prior work, but while it it is a move away from tonal discordance, this sounds more refined, mature and remains Autolux.
This would be a great debut album for any band and remains a wonderful new step in the evolution of Autolux.
While the noise and hard charging attitude seems to have mellowed somewhat, the trio seems to have honed their songwriting abilities and appear to have become better musicians in the interim. This represents somewhat of a departure from Autolux's prior work, but while it it is a move away from tonal discordance, this sounds more refined, mature and remains Autolux.
This would be a great debut album for any band and remains a wonderful new step in the evolution of Autolux.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Dynamic
29 Oct 2010
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Short and Simple
I took the time to listen and became very entertained. The album is a dynamic
collaboration of trippy sixties, alternative and modern rock. I was very impressed.
I can actually listen to every trek instead of skipping.
You don't know what to expect because it's innovative and classic alternative at the same time. I listened to samples of the first album and will purchase soon.
Excellent percussionist.
I took the time to listen and became very entertained. The album is a dynamic
collaboration of trippy sixties, alternative and modern rock. I was very impressed.
I can actually listen to every trek instead of skipping.
You don't know what to expect because it's innovative and classic alternative at the same time. I listened to samples of the first album and will purchase soon.
Excellent percussionist.
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