Does there come a point when an artist becomes so prolific over such a short period of time that the listener simply tunes out? That after so much so quickly, we begin to feel oversaturated with an artists particular sound. In the past, this would have been less of an issue as the release of new music was far less available in past decades as record companies kept tight watch over their intellectual properties. But with the instant gratification support of the internet, we've become a collective of over-consumers who regard the expedited release of any material as a given right. And as much as I hate to admit it, I place myself in that group as well. I think it has more to do with the fact that so much music is so easily acquired we feel that an album we know we will like should be made just as available as all the stuff we have on clue about. There is also an undercurrent of collection-minded people who only want the most. The most music, the most songs...the most anything. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with this mindset, but taken to extremes can rob a listener of the joy once felt by simply placing a needle in a groove or putting a cd into a player.
Bradford Cox plays host to many peoples assumptions of an overactive musician, whether his music is liked or not. With his main gig in Deerhunter, his sideline affair as Atlas Sound, and the bevy of constant demos and song fragments he releases through his blog, he certainly takes on the appearance of someone who is infinitely uncomfortable sitting still, musically speaking. And you'd wonder if his fans, after becoming so familiar with his musical output, would be hesitant to allow him further leeway with regard to any new material. But as each consecutive official release, and pouring out of demos, has shown, his fans are still sticking to him, anxious for any new material, whatever it may be.
On his newest release as Atlas Sound, Cox expands his range and comes away with an album as distinct and immediate as anything he's released, in either of his bands. The very aspect that we spoke of initally, that is the over consumption of music, has actually benefited Cox in his own way, by allowing the musical chaff of his extensive unofficial discography to fall by the wayside as the more fully structured songs take precendence. He takes the best of what began as mere fragments and carefully layers with them just the right amount of guitar, strangely unfiltered vocals, and an aesthetic so fully realized that it seems as though Atlas Sound may possibly become his more immediately relatable band. With songs like "Te Amo" with it repeated synth loops and lovely ballad "Terra Incognito", his skills as a songwriter have become the focal point as opposed to previous releases where his vocals were buried beneath a dense musical swathe. Parallax may be the most cohesive musical statement Cox has yet to impart to his fans; it never feels piecemeal or only tangentially related. He's been able to successfully micro-manage being in both bands, and by taking the best from his bandmates in Deerhunter and from his own personal releases, Cox has created an absolute stunner of an album, one that never relinquishes control of its often dense personal narratives nor feels overtly tied to one thematic element. It feels freed from the musical confines which his fans may often place him in, and hope he'll continue in. But if this is the last record Cox puts out for a while, I'll be content as it will hard to create something more consistently listenable and brought to life with more creative musical intent than Parallax. But to be honest, by the time I've written this, I'm sure he's already got another hundred demos ready to give out.
Tracklisting:
01. The Shakes
02. Amplifiers
03. Te Amo
04. Parallax
05. Modern Aquatic Nightsongs
06. Mona Lisa
07. Praying Man
08. Doldrums
09. My Angel Is Broken
10. Terra Incognita (listen to the mp3 below)
11. Flagstaff
12. Nightworks
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