Thoughts on the New Danger Mouse Album

My initial thought is that this album is not out yet.

That said, Danger Mouse is once again testing the limits of music distribution. His new album with Daniele Luppi is streaming online through various websites and most interestingly, youtube. The usual nonsense of links within videos on youtube has been put to good use here. You are presented with a menu, much like a DVD menu on which you can choose a track from the album or allow it to play through itself. This allows the whole album to load, while also offering high quality tracks and therein, the best possible advertisement for the album.

My initial impressions of the music are largely positive. The resonance with Enio Morricone cannot be avoided and nor should it, with the choir of "The Good The Bad and The Ugly" and "Once upon a Time in the West" reunited for the album. Couple the contemporary spaghetti western vibe with the guest voices of Jack White and Norah Jones and you have a recipe for something very unique indeed.

Unique, however, just does not ring as accurate for the album. I have been wondering if I should just listen to some more Enio Morricone instead of this somewhat unoriginal connection. But then again, this was never meant to be a blazing trail into new territory. It is instead, slick, polished, smooth and thoroughly enjoyable on its own terms. As an homage then, this is a wonderful project.

I wonder if I can find the money and wherewithal to actually buy it.

-The English Student

Album Review: Dark Night of the Soul

At last, the Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse collaboration has been released.

The album was plagued by constant delays and legal challenges. The main obstruction to the release seemed to be a dispute over plans to include a blank CD with the album, encouraging people to copy and pass around the work to other people. While this encouragement was not put into words, it clearly bothered EMI, who blocked the release for an entire year. The controversy over the album was only heightened by the suicide of Sparklehorse lead Mark Linkous a few months ago.

I was naturally wondering how this album would compare or contrast to the controversy swirling around it. The work itself is littered with big names like Julian Cassablancas, Gruff Rhys and Iggy Pop. These musicians create a wonderful sound scape within the Danger Mouse/Sparklehorse production. The album is dark, foreboding and yet full of somewhat jaunty melodies, creating contrasting songs and tones. On paper, this could have been a classic album.

However, it does seem to fall short of these expectations. The final few songs (possibly excluding the eerie title track) tail off into more wayward music and that is when the whole problem of the album is underlined. All of these high-profile guests have not just joined in as an influence, they have controlled their respective songs. This has made it difficult to listen to the whole album has one piece. In the end it is more a collection of songs and loses a certain coherency that would have elevated the album further.

With all that however, it is still a fascinating chapter in the evolution of alternative music.

-The English Student