Randomness is very difficult to achieve... organization always merges back if you don't pay attention. -Science of Sleep (2006)I can never truly adapt to the experimental, complex song-crafting of bands such as Montreal’s, Sunset Rubdown. Embedded in their songs is a sort of randomness which often leaves listeners feeling disoriented. Music listeners often lean towards songs that feel familiar and predictable while listening on for that same, usual pattern. But in their latest record, Dragonslayer, their most accessible to date, Spencer Krug (of the Wolf Parade fame) and gang, creates sights and sounds that teeter on the very thin precipice of “accessible and experimental”, as well as “eclectic and poppy”. Dragonslayer offers a visceral listening experience, inspite of tunes that feel more fluent and straightforward in comparison to their previous collection. The arbitrariness may still reside in the music for those new to this unfamiliar territory, but after several sittings, you’ll realize the melody doesn’t meander aimlessly and that precision does exist. The gratifying sonic pattern keeps the tracks engaging but it’s that randomness which makes it memorable and turns it into anything but boring. ‘Apollo and the Bufallo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!’ serves as the record’s most rewarding moment. I keep returning to this particular track in hopes of untangling and solving it by the next listen. But something new never fails to reveal itself amidst the “shimmering guitars and playful keyboards”.
|mp3| Sunset Rubdown - Apollo and the Bufallo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!
