I didn't feel like listening to The Flaming Lips this week, so I'm trying something completely different. But that, of course, I mean something that I have never heard of. It's not that far reaching.Thao is a chick singing over an indie rock band. Fans of the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs or The Raveonettes should have no problem jumping on board this collective (who, unbeknownst to me, have actually been around a few years)
Thao has written an album about relationships and the inherent trouble with them. Lyrically, the best summation of the album's themes can be heard on the title track, which you can hear below:
"But I need you to be better than me and you need me to do better than you"
"Body" is another highlight. A sexy beat and a quaint girly voice asking me to touch her. However, my demeanor and cynicism is such that I could totally ignore Thao's wiley ways, had it not been for the reckless abandon that kicks in when the Get Down Stay Down start wailing.
And that's true of the record as a whole for me. Thao's a good singer/writer/performer and that may be why the band bills her first in the name. But what sells it all to me is the jam. Not just indie guitar rock, but screaming violins and moaning horns keep Thao's otherwise lilting voice afloat. Conversely, when left seemingly to her own devices, like on "Good Bye Good Luck", she repeats a verse twice and the song just peters out.
So band: stand your ground. Thao: check yo self. You make a good band. (3 of 5 stars)
And that's true of the record as a whole for me. Thao's a good singer/writer/performer and that may be why the band bills her first in the name. But what sells it all to me is the jam. Not just indie guitar rock, but screaming violins and moaning horns keep Thao's otherwise lilting voice afloat. Conversely, when left seemingly to her own devices, like on "Good Bye Good Luck", she repeats a verse twice and the song just peters out.
So band: stand your ground. Thao: check yo self. You make a good band. (3 of 5 stars)
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