M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (Part 6)

André corrects the record and demands more Zola Jesus. Word. Seconded.

M83 – “Teen Angst” (from Before the Dawn Heals Us)

You can download “Midnight City” from Hurry Up, I’m Dreaming in MP3 form, and check out tour dates, at ilovem83.com.

From: André Salas
To: Chris Atto, Brandon Hall

As one genuinely prejudiced against overlong albums (Wouldn’t The Clash’s Sandinista! or even Madonna’s Erotica have been masterpieces if trimmed down to 10 or 11 tracks?), I really do think shuffle is the answer when trying to give all the songs a fair shake, especially if you are taking on the whole set at one sitting, or on your subway ride to work. And I didn’t say “full of filler”, just that with this many tracks filler was inevitable. OK, perhaps filler is a harsh word (although I did say lovely, tasty filler), and damned if I didn’t like the tracks probably most likely to be accused of BEING filler (the aforementioned “Fountains” and “Train to Pluton”)!

What I think was trying to say was, at it’s long running time, there is a certain sameness to certain tracks that eventually becomes distracting, even boring at one sitting. This kind of backs up Chris’ claim that the “strong musical themes” that hold the album together in mood make the songs “blur together a bit,” which is where my “one side at a time” suggestion comes in, though i was half-joking at the time.

I don’t find a noticeable decline in musical quality in Hurry Up compared to Saturdays, but, granted, I just discovered that album and haven’t had the build-up of anticipation and feverish expectations that fans may have accumulated over time. It just seems like more of a grower to me, and the extra length doesn’t help. The chosen promo singles were wisely the most immediate, and jeez, why not another Zola Jesus vocal or two?

I can’t help but feel I’m nitpicking at this point, this is a solid, exciting album and I’ll be listening to it a lot as the Fall winds whip through my black overcoat and I mope into the night.

Who is Claudia Lewis?,
André

Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming is out 10/18 on Mute.

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