Issue #26 Spring 2009 - Bat For LashesBlack Moth Super Rainbow
Eating Us
Graveface
Jun 22, 2009
Issue #26 Spring 2009 - Bat For Lashes
Black Moth Super Rainbow’s singular sounds invite all kinds of paradoxical ”-isms:” techno-primitivism, retro-futurism. They make the sonic equivalent of a granny quilt sewn together with microchips-a creepy, musty sound that pairs junky old electronics with an acoustic but heavily effected rhythm section, somewhere in the realm of contemporaries Air or Octopus Project (with whom they did a fantastic collaboration a few years back).
This is the band’s first time venturing into a proper pro studio, with Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, MGMT, etc.) behind the boards. The fidelity takes a jump as a result, and Fridmann captures a more detailed version of their oddly textured travels through strawberry fields and what have you.
Speaking of which, opener “Born on a Day the Sun Didn’t Shine” is Magical Mystery Tour-era Beatles with laptops and chopped-up Bonham drums that remind you they recently toured with The Flaming Lips. And of course there’s that vocoder vocal effect that decorates all their songs. It’d be nice to get some more varied vocal treatments, but hey, gotta respect their sticking to an idea. Plus, obscuring the vox that way falls right in line with their oddball mystique as much as their stage names (hey mom, I’d like you to meet my friend The Seven Fields of Aphelion).
So here are many more lush and melodic sun-soaked digressions, all moving along at a comfortable mid-tempo pace, climaxing about halfway through with the insanely catchy pair “Iron Lemonade” and “Tooth Decay.” Both of these tunes illustrate the band’s appeal with impeccable melodies and a dreamy, almost nostalgic wash of sound, all the better for its imperfections. It’s not quite background and not quite foreground. But probably more background, like a film soundtrack-that could be fixed with just a little more variety. Maybe a few non-vocoder tunes? (www.blackmothsuperrainbow.com)
Author rating: 6/10
Average reader rating: 9/10
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July 13th 2009
6:36pm
It is really a nice post, its always great reading such posts, this post is good in regards of both knowledge as well as information. i like stuff like ghostland observatory, the hush sound, the kills, indie music, black moth super rainbow, radiohead. anything that sounds weird and funky and has good sound to it. i do not like the teen boy singing the song. generations i like are indie, visual, experimental, psychedelic. along those lines. thank you in advance for the helping me on my music quest.Thanks for the post.
February 8th 2010
11:15am
1. How does a tooth decay? (The process)
2. What is the most effective solution for decaying a tooth? (If you were to leave a tooth in the solution for a week.)