Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Fat Possum: 2011
With Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s debut self-titled LP, we have the latest offering in The Great ‘60s Romanticism of the Post-Pitchfork Era. OK, that doesn’t exist, and it kind of sounds like the title for some half-assed musicology dissertation, but it sufficiently describes the music scene’s current obsession with hazy vocals, laid-back groovy grooves, and ridiculous vintage clothing. While UMO shares similar tendencies with some of the more Beach Boys vein of ‘60s throwback bands—namely the intentionally fuzzy production values—UMO are somewhat more aligned with the trippy sounds of the late ‘60s, accompanied by the likes of modern MGMT output and a little forgotten band called Jennifer Gentle (who were basically an early-day Pink Floyd cover band). UMO do not beat around the bush—their website’s bio page assesses their own sound as moody “jingles” for a rejected ‘60s TV series. This level of self-awareness is slightly more respectable than the coy denial from several modern hipster bands. (“It’s just rock, man. We’re not, like, trying to copy anyone,” those other ‘60s aficionados will say as they scoot <i>Pet Sounds</i> underneath the rugs in their studios.)
The songs on this album, especially the last several (such as “Little Blue House”) are repetitive and mellow, which <i>would</i> work perfectly undulating underneath some super mod visuals, but the songs on this LP struggle to find footing as single-unit tracks. For instance, seeing this band in concert—would it work, playing the songs out of sequence? Would the individual songs serve as good pieces to use for a brief introduction to their music? Unfortunately, positive answers to those questions are not immediately apparent, forever lost in the psychedelic haze in which hit resides. Listening to this album playing softly in the background would be hearing it as it was intended, and “album” albums are always preferable, but this record lacks strength. Granted, UMO’s darker, druggier style of ‘60s music is more entertaining than most of the sunnier bands that are so (inexplicably) popular today, but if this group wants to strike a noticeable dent in the music scene, we need something that’s more than filler.
[audio:http://potholesinmyblog.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Unknown-Mortal-Orchestra-How_Can_U_Luv_Me.mp3|titles=Unknown Mortal Orchestra – How_Can_U_Luv_Me]
3 out of 5