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Avg: 3.5 (71 ratings)
- Date Released: April 8, 2008
- Genre: Alternative/Punk
- Label: 4AD
Deal with it: The Breeders return, strangely and triumphantly.
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We Say...
You'd think that the worldwide triumph of the 2004 reunion tour of the Pixies — for which the Breeders' Kim Deal plays bass and sings — would resonate on Mountain Battles, just the fourth Breeders' full-length album in 20 years. And to some extent, it does: This is a confident record and, occasionally, a sophisticated one, with an abundance of variety and brimming with heart and wit. For novelty, there are songs in German (the oompah punk-metal "German Studies"), and in Spanish (the romantic pop tune "Regalme Esta Noche," sung phonetically with great sincerity by Kelley Deal), and there might have even been a fourth language if someone had translated the punchy soccer chants of Middle Eastern rave "Istanbul" into Turkish. There's also a party-hearty girl-group sock-hop version of "It's the Love," originally by fellow Dayton band the Tasties.
Mountain Battles evolved over the several years since 2002's Title TK, and involved a number of producers, including the Breeders' perennial sonic consigliere Steve Albini. Nevertheless, the record manages to maintain all of the Breeders' signature virtues: hit-and-run songs — most under three-minutes, all under four; the push-and-pull energy that gathers strength from pauses as much as from forceful rhythms; the plainspoken, sweet-but-strong, sing-songy vocals. There's even concessions for those who prefer their Breeders shot-and-a-beer basic: the Dinosaur Jr. footprint of "No Way," the Joan Jett-style defiance of "Walk It Off," the funk/punk "Bang On." It's a wide range, to be sure, yet the quiet force of Kim Deal's musical personality, coupled with a vision that has stayed true for 20 years, is what holds this rich batch of songs together. -
They Say...
It only took the Breeders a little under six years to deliver the follow-up to Title TK, which is progress, considering that it was nearly a decade between that album and Last Splash, and especially since Kim Deal was occupied with the Pixies reunion for a couple of those years. Mountain Battles sounds like progress, too: while all Breeders albums have, in varying proportions, a mix of whip-smart pop songs, droning rockers, and experimental tangents, the blend of these sounds hasn't sounded this satisfying since the Pod days. Deal and crew aren't making a big pop push à la Last Splash, and they don't sound as defiant as they did on Title TK -- but, as on that album, Mountain Battles feels like the band are doing exactly what they want and not worrying too much about what anyone else thinks about it. "It's the Love," the song most like the Breeders' quintessential sweet-but-tart punk-pop, is actually a cover of fellow Dayton band the Tasties, and Kim's delivery is so cheeky that it almost feels like she's affectionately sending up that sound. "It's the Love" is placed next to the album's oddest song, which happens to be the title track and finale: full of murky keyboards and a melody that plays hide-and-seek, "Mountain Battles" sounds unfinished and unsettling. Yet there are a lot of other sounds between those extremes, including "Bang On"'s distorted drums and witty guitars, which prove that Deal is still as skilled at pop collages as she was during "Cannonball"'s heyday; "German Studies" and "Walk it Off" should also please Last Splash fans craving more of Deal's sassy pop. However, the flirty, slow-dance cover of "Regalame Esta Noche," which shows off the pure beauty of her voice; the percussive, call-and-response jam "Istanbul," and "Here No More," a country number so simple and effortless it feels like it could be a cover, make Mountain Battles eclectic and even a bit daring. Deal's willingness to let the album's songs take their own paths is even more daring; from "Overglazed"'s impressionistic rock, which opens Mountain Battles with stampeding drums and cascading vocals, to the wandering, surf-tinged ballad "Night of Joy," many tracks feel open-ended and sometimes downright elusive. But, even if "Spark" remains little more than a moody sketch and "We're Gonna Rise" moves as slowly as dust turning in a sunbeam, they add to Mountain Battles' ebb and flow, with each song playing off the other naturally. And, though the album covers a lot of territory -- 13 songs in 36 minutes! -- it doesn't feel scattered; scattered implies no purpose, but Mountain Battles' songs land, eventually, exactly where they need to.
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| 01. |  |
Overglazed |
2:15 |
|
| 02. | |
Bang On |
2:03 |
|
| 03. | |
Night Of Joy |
3:25 |
|
| 04. | |
We’re Gonna Rise |
3:53 |
|
| 05. | |
German Studies |
2:15 |
|
| 06. | |
Spark |
2:39 |
|
| 07. | |
Istanbul |
2:57 |
|
| 08. | |
Walk It Off |
2:46 |
|
| 09. | |
Regalame Esta Noche |
2:51 |
|
| 10. | |
Here No More |
2:38 |
|
| 11. | |
No Way |
2:32 |
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| 12. | |
It’s The Love |
2:28 |
|
| 13. | |
Mountain Battles |
3:53 |
|
13 Total Tracks, 36:35 Total Length
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Credits
- Steve Albini - Engineer // Kim Deal - Performer // Kelley Deal - Performer // Vaughan Oliver - Art Direction // Vaughan Oliver - Design // Mando Lopez - Performer // Mando Lopez - Performer // Steve Rooke - Mastering // Marco Atkins - Photography // Erika Larsen - Engineer // Ben Mumphrey - Engineer // Jose Medeles - Performer // James Hutchinson - Assistant Engineer // Steven M. Hufsteter - Guitar // David Mattix - Assistant Engineer // Rob Vester - Assistant Engineer // Adam Fuller - Assistant Engineer // Becky Kaz - Assistant Engineer // Todd Mund - Vocals (Background) // Heather Winna - Cymbals
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