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Avg: 4.0 (34 ratings)
- Date Released: July 8, 2008
- Genre: Electronic
- Label: XL Recordings
Ratatat came up with a lovely little summer record. Who knew?
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We Say...
You could be easily excused for assuming that, along with a pair of delirious remix CDs, Brooklyn's Evan “E*Vax” Mast and journeyman guitarist Mike Stroud were the most excellent stone-fisted Decepticon Rock Band heroes around. If you lopped off the gloopy, leaden, downbeat filler that composed the lion's-share of their full-lengths, that's precisely what they were; their weaker moments came off half-formed and wilted next to the digi-shred bombast of the hits they surrounded.
But, even if Ratatat didn't go looking for subtlety, subtlety seems to have found them. They've just released their most varied, satisfying and enjoyable album to date while sounding like they just tripped over it on their way to the bodega. “Shiller” nods toward the bombastic with a sunburst of bit-crushed guitar, but underpins it with a melancholic little keyboard melody. It's this light, easy melancholy that's the killer app here, whether it be the faintly salsa-fied acoustic plucking on “Mi Viejo,” or the breezy doo-wop piano that bubbles under “Brulee.”
But this isn't a sad record, just a little lysergic, sun-dappled and strangely pretty in its way. It can also be a little surprising: “Mi Viejo” ends with a duet for tiny little hand drums, and “Shempi” becomes the closest thing to a Big Hit here simply by housing up a merry-go-round. Somehow, Ratatat came up with a lovely little summer record. Who knew? -
They Say...
On Ratatat's first two albums, the duo of Mike Stroud (guitar) and Evan Mast (programming/various instruments) developed a unique sound. Lodged in the sweet spot between hard rock (spiraling dual-guitar leads, crunching beats) and bedroom electronica (squirmy synths and lots of lo-fi invention), they crafted memorable songs with soaring melodies and huge hooks. On LP3 the duo has kept its unique guitar sound and the hooks but made a few subtle changes. They rely more on live drums and percussion throughout, but more important to the feel of the record is the use of a wide range of keyboards like piano, Mellotron, Wurlitzer, and harpsichord. Thanks to this more organic approach and the laid-back nature of many of the songs themselves, LP3 strikes an interesting balance between the late-night jams perfectly suited for driving abandoned city streets they are known for, like "Mirando" and "Shempi" on one hand, and fragile ballads like "Shiller" and "Black Heroes" on the other. It makes for a slightly fuller listening experience, only slightly because past albums weren't exactly one-dimensional, but still more fleshed-out and varied. Certainly the duo has never made a track as sticky sweet and summery as "Bruleé," and Ratatat haven't used acoustic guitars before as they do on the majestic "Mi Viejo." The short tracks (the Spaghetti western-inspired "Flynn" and cute music box melody "Gipsy Threat") that pop up as slightly corny interludes are a nice new touch, too. In the end, though, the record isn't that big a departure. Tracks like the sharp-as-a-sword "Mirando" and "Falcon Jab" would have fit right in on either of their previous albums, and the trademark Ratatat sound overlays the entire record. Instead of changing their sound to accommodate a wider palette of sounds, they wisely chose to incorporate them into their aesthetic. It's an inspired move that will help them keep their old fans and still allow the duo to progress musically.
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| 01. |  |
Shiller
|
4:17 |
|
| 02. | |
Falcon Jab
|
3:55 |
|
| 03. | |
Mi Viejo
|
2:40 |
|
| 04. | |
Mirando
|
3:52 |
|
| 05. | |
Flynn
|
1:55 |
|
| 06. | |
Bird-Priest
|
3:06 |
|
| 07. | |
Shempi
|
3:57 |
|
| 08. | |
Imperials
|
3:33 |
|
| 09. | |
Dura
|
3:07 |
|
| 10. | |
Bruleé
|
3:42 |
|
| 11. | |
Mumtaz Khan
|
2:37 |
|
| 12. | |
Gipsy Threat
|
1:37 |
|
| 13. | |
Black Heroes
|
4:09 |
|
13 Total Tracks, 42:27 Total Length
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Credits
- Nilesh "Nilz" Patel - Mastering // Evan Mast - Producer // Mike Stroud - Producer
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