 |
| |
|
| |
Album Review
by SashaS
9-5-2005
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Electrelane: sound of the future - today |
|
Electrelane: 'Axes'
(Too Pure)
Electrelane: rather now than whenever?
It could be an explanation for everything being the way it is: according to the scientists - imitation is not just flattery, it’s our nature. Yeah, you’ve read it right: imitation is not only the sincerest form of flattery, it is a law of nature, claim scientists. Fads, fashions and shifts in public opinion can be attributed to the fact that we love to copy each other. In fact, being a fashion victim, buying the latest mobile of even deciding to have children can be put down to the human need to survive by following others, researchers believe.
The main reason people imitate others is because they think friends are smarter than them by knowing something they don’t, scientists in France found. Quentin Michard and Jean-Phillipe Bouchaud studied the 20th century European birth rates, the rise of the mobile phone and the way people clapping at a concert suddenly stopped. They also used magnets and atoms to represent people and see how social trends moved.
An applied magnetic field will usually end up with atoms spinning in the same direction, sometimes moving at the same time. In the case of mobile phones, it was clear that the more people realised how useful they were, more shoppers would buy them. But how quickly the trend took off depended on how much we copy each other.
“Imitation is deeply rooted in biology as a survival strategy,” Ms Bouchard told New Scientist magazine.
It surely can explain certain things but where does it leave the left-fielders, the maligned alternative, the independent thinkers such as Electrelane and their new album ‘Axes’?
In a strange place where quality and taste reside these days - the uniformed world of vacancy. Everything’s become so disposable hegemonies and no one cares a bit about stepping out of line, going on a limb. It appears that democratisation of mass culture has brought in lethargy that has completely altered relationship with possession and consuming music. No desire to be precious about it, no need to collect in real terms, be interested in anything else about ‘artists’ but their pin-up/ability.
Much stronger and powerful songwriting may have been further shaped by the way the album was recorded - live, in a studio. It was played, from start to finish, with the band altogether in one room, like a gig, playing with total freedom, drive and a big portion, as it is to be expected, of disregard for stereotypes, clichés and recycling. Instead, they offer us full dosage of inventive, colourful and unpredictable set.
‘Axes’ producer was Steve Albini for the Brighton-based band’s third album [‘Rock It To The Moon’, ‘The Power Out’], this time with addition of a bassist - Ros Murray. Verity Susman (vox/saxophone/guitar/piano), Emma Gaze (drums) and Mia Clarke (gtr) have simply firmed up their rhythm section that allows them to explore deconstructive rocking even further, as exemplified by ‘Business or Otherwise’.
The fireworks start flying from ‘Bells’, via total psychedelic workout that recalls The Doors as much as some funker artists on ‘If Not Now, When?’. ‘Gone Darker’ morphs into this discordant melody over a rhythm so solidly based as if it were chiselled by Michelangelo. Among baker’s dozen of song is a cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘The Partisan’ and the girls have turned it into a rebel-intense anthem.
‘Axes’ is a giant leap for gender-free rock-kind.
8.6/10
Live dates:
10 May - Scala, London
13 May - Hope Chapel, Bristol
14 May - Old Market, Brighton
15 May - Academy 2, Manchester
16 May - King Tuts, Glasgow
[Support by Scout Niblett]
SashaS
2-2-2004
Electrelane’s album ‘Axes’ is released 09 May 2005 by Too Pure
|
|
|
