2008 Woodie Awards
Caribou breaks through with Andorra
Kyle Thacker
Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: Entertainment
02/27/08 - It seems that the most anachronistic of all forms of media is music. Artists and bands often have their music firmly planted within the music of the past and their roots are often reflective of previous musicians' material.
This is not a negative thing necessarily, and a lot of times it makes for really good music. The musician Daniel Snaith, who is the sole member of Caribou (surprisingly "Caribou" isn't his birth name), has found a home within the pop tradition of the 1960s. The music on Andorra isn't overloaded with psychedelic aspects, though they are present, but more concerned with the soft melodic pop of bands like The Beach Boys or The Mamas and the Papas.
This album is a change of pace for Caribou, as his previous records have been more focused on electronica and dealt more with synth and computer-generated pop.
Snaith's singing is also present on all of the tracks, unlike 2005's The Milk Of Human Kindness, which had him singing on only two out of 11 tracks.
Luckily for us, it wasn't for lack of ability. Snaith's voice is soft and faint, and it blends well with the light strumming of acoustic guitars. He makes good use of vocal melody as well, and it makes you wonder why he hadn't sung more often on previous albums.
The opening track, appropriately titled "Melody Day," showcases Snaith's newfound voice and melodic presence. It's a really good opener as it pulls you into the album immediately.
The contrasting elements of the sharp use of snare drum and the light flowing use of the flute creates a really layered feel to the song. The chorus is one of the heavier spots on the album, and Snaith uses voice as an instrument and creates great harmonies.
The electronic elements of Caribou aren't all absent on Andorra, but they don't control the feel of the songs on the record. The last track on the album, "Niobe," which runs just under nine minutes, is the only track that really finds itself immersed in computerized and synth sounds.
All of the songs on the album do a really great job at intertwining aspects of traditional songs and more progressive electronic sounds.
With all the different components of each song, you would think the album would be cluttered - but the record is never over-burdened by Snaith's ambitious song writing. All of the different elements within each song are distinct and clear, and work well with one another. Andorra is a really good album that you can get into right away and it's worth checking out.
This is not a negative thing necessarily, and a lot of times it makes for really good music. The musician Daniel Snaith, who is the sole member of Caribou (surprisingly "Caribou" isn't his birth name), has found a home within the pop tradition of the 1960s. The music on Andorra isn't overloaded with psychedelic aspects, though they are present, but more concerned with the soft melodic pop of bands like The Beach Boys or The Mamas and the Papas.
This album is a change of pace for Caribou, as his previous records have been more focused on electronica and dealt more with synth and computer-generated pop.
Snaith's singing is also present on all of the tracks, unlike 2005's The Milk Of Human Kindness, which had him singing on only two out of 11 tracks.
Luckily for us, it wasn't for lack of ability. Snaith's voice is soft and faint, and it blends well with the light strumming of acoustic guitars. He makes good use of vocal melody as well, and it makes you wonder why he hadn't sung more often on previous albums.
The opening track, appropriately titled "Melody Day," showcases Snaith's newfound voice and melodic presence. It's a really good opener as it pulls you into the album immediately.
The contrasting elements of the sharp use of snare drum and the light flowing use of the flute creates a really layered feel to the song. The chorus is one of the heavier spots on the album, and Snaith uses voice as an instrument and creates great harmonies.
The electronic elements of Caribou aren't all absent on Andorra, but they don't control the feel of the songs on the record. The last track on the album, "Niobe," which runs just under nine minutes, is the only track that really finds itself immersed in computerized and synth sounds.
All of the songs on the album do a really great job at intertwining aspects of traditional songs and more progressive electronic sounds.
With all the different components of each song, you would think the album would be cluttered - but the record is never over-burdened by Snaith's ambitious song writing. All of the different elements within each song are distinct and clear, and work well with one another. Andorra is a really good album that you can get into right away and it's worth checking out.