How much of our perception of music is guided by what we know and see of the artist? A fair question to ask, and also, not so fair. Buried deep inside each of us is a deep-seated need to align our aural inputs with visual stimuli. That's just how it works...generally. So when we come across a band as murky and purposefully obscure as Unknown Mortal Orchestra, with so little known and shown from the band, what kind of associations do we as a listener tend to make? Do we begrudge them for being overly willful and possibly deceptive or do we imagine that the anonymity an artist can have/develop is deserved? In the end, as long as the music connects with us on a personal level, most of that doesn't mean shit, but we all--and I do this worse than most--try to understand where an artist stands stylistically and also try to find meaning where possibly none is intended. So where does all of this speculation about an artists identity leave us...? Well, from that hazy, depthless place, Unknown Mortal Orchestra released their debut album to a curious group of listeners, an album that revels in its anoynmity and murkiness. And while it does exhibit lo-fi tendencies, it never feels likes it's giving the listener a hurdle to jump. The aesthetic and stylistic paths tread familiar ground but are also welcome in a year where over indulgence on many albums has led to scattered, unfocused results. And unlike some of its lo-fi brethern, this album doesn't use a reliance on low fidelity as a crutch for having slight melodies. Listen to this album and tell me you're not humming at least three different songs after a days time. Songs like the lead-up to release "Ffunny Ffriends" and the nuggets-era sounding "How Can You Luv Me?" prove that, given an understanding of your influences and limitations, a band can be creative and not simply tread water in shallow homage. By using their collective influences as creative guideposts rather than connect-the-dots musical templates, Unknown Mortal Orchestra have proven that, even with virtual anonymity, a band need only release their best and the history will follow.
Tracklisting:
01. FFunny FFrends (listen to the mp3 below)
02. Bicycle
03. Thought Ballune
04. Jello and Juggernauts
05. How Can You Luv Me
06. Nerve Damage!
07. Little Blu House
08. Strangers Are Strange
09. Boy Witch
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