Thursday 18 June 2009

Casper & The Cookies – Modern Silence

Athens, Georgia’s Casper & The Cookies return with their fourth album, and a cracker it is too. It starts with Little King, all big smiley pop in the manner of The Shins. It wavers for respite and then pops back up like a rejuvenated jogger, all psyched up and ready to go. You Love Me starts off chugging along unassumedly, before breaking out and going all Musical on us, and then back to its former trance like state. Maybe it’s because of the surprise that the groove makes more sense after the freak out. It then squirms and high kicks to a fitting close. Pete Erchick Bicentennial Service Area is just plain weird, hyperventilating backing vocals; female strident lead vocals and shonky jerk pop rhythms. Sharp! combines kids TV themes, jittering rhythms and preppy vocals, while Little Lady Larva combines sixties pop with a light version of Siouxsie Sioux and some screaming. Cloud Of Bees is a dream of something beautiful, a gorgeous little number, wistful and other worldly, Moldy Flower is dirty in contrast and at times, a balls out rocker while New Day Zero is again channelling the Shins and Nada Surf for some blissful Cali pop. Keep Talking is Ben Folds kind of wonderful, Sunshine Girl is Gorillaz gospel and Eulogy For Marcel Marsalis is ELO style blue sky. I Am Happy is on an astral plane, drifting blissfully in its own world. All manner of weirdness closes the album in the fifteen minute I Am Gone, suitably for such an eclectic and interesting album.

Modern Silence is out now on Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records
Casper & The Cookies website is here

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