Released - 2/1/10
Label - EMI
BLURB - Hot Chip's been around the block the last several years, or so I'm told. Admittedly, this is the first Hot Chip album I've ever purchased or listened to. I know, I know...get with the times! I actually tried getting tickets to see Hot Chip with French Horn Rebellion at MHoW but it sold out in a minute and tickets were actually going for about $150 a piece on craigslist. Are they that good? I know French Horn Rebellion is. What we have with 'One Life Stand' is a collection of indie, electronic pop tracks that scream vanilla ice cream. Everyone and their cousin is telling me that Hot Chip is amazing and if don't like them, then...well...I just don't get it. I'm sorry, but am I missing something? This album is super top heavy and has an overall blandness to it that really makes it hard for me to get through. Yes, a couple of the tracks are amazing, but that's about it.
Rating - 5.5 out of 10
FULL STORY - Pitchfork had a really great line when reviewing this album, calling it a 'geek-chic, dancehall excursion.' That's perfect. It should be noted that they also gave the album a sparkling review. I however, will not. But the 'geek-chic' line really hits home for me. My initial thought of this album was, wow...the vocals do not sync well with the music at all. Not to be cruel, but it really sounds like a geek trying to croon over lines of keyboards and synthesizers. To me it's as if Hot Chip is trying to push a square peg through a round hole, and after about an hour of trying they said, screw it - we'll call it 'One Life Stand.'
The first track, 'Thieves in the Night' is arguably the best song on the album. The track starts off unassuming with just a steady kick drum and slowly building bass and synth lines. The music itself is pretty remarkable, teetering on the edge of indie pop and electronic dancehall. And just when you think you're in the middle of a rave, distorted guitar riffs chime in and add a distinct wrinkle to the song. The only flaw on this track, though, is the vocals. They simply don't match with the music. It sounds forced and uninspired and takes all of the momentum and enthusiasm out of the track. The vocals are also definitely more spoken than sung - and it just doesn't feel right.
'Hand Me Down Your Love' has a much more organic and real feel to it. There is a real piano, a real electric guitar and a real drum kit. This should be good, right? Not exactly - Hot Chip finds a way to throw in this recurring weird, electronic-alien voice that turns the song into a gimmick. After a while the song turns into this monotonous, mediocre track that fails to go anywhere and is being constantly prodded with this weird voicing.
In keeping with the times, 'I Feel Better' features auto-tune, and for me this works. It's a creative way to hide and mask the vocals, while blending in with a background symphony of strings. Once the song gets going, it's actually very good. I can actually listen to it...and kind of like it. Hot Chip does a lot of tricks here looping varying lines of vocals and dialogues over a great beat and a chorus of violins.
The title track, 'One Life Stand' features an almost ominous bass line that does a nice job promoting unrest and anticipation. It's kind of dark and is the first song on the album that actually draws the listener in and keeps them on the edge of their seat. But almost right on cue, Hot Chip gives us yet another bland and slowed down chorus that fails to accomplish any kind of goal. 'One Life Stand' is more or less a cool collection of verses, for which you have to wade through several choruses to enjoy.
From here on out the album drops off the table, bordering on the edge of unlistenable. Huge masses of filler and forgettable songs painfully flood the album. Lyrically, there is a cliched and forced sincerity that comes off disingenuous and once again, fails to mix well with the music. Try to listen to 'Slush' without skipping ahead. It's impossible - like trying to eat a tablespoon of pure cinnamon.
Over the past four years Hot Chip has released albums and supplemented them with several EP's. I feel like 'One Life Stand' should have been a four song EP (consisting of the first four tracks of the album). The album has a couple good ideas and flashes of brilliance, but in it's entirety - it's an abysmal display of their talent. I know I am supposed to like this, but I just can't.
Tracks
1.) Thieves in the Night
2.) Hand Me Down Your Love
3.) I Feel Better
4.) One Life Stand
5.) Brothers
6.) Slush
7.) Alley Cats
8.) We Have Love
9.) Keep Quiet
10.) Take It In
No comments:
Post a Comment