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Volume CXXXIII, Number 13 |
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Air breezes along on third album
SONAAR LUTHRA
STAFF WRITER
It can be difficult for a band to change its sound, but revisiting former territory can also present a unique challenge. Last year saw a prime example, as Radiohead merged the contrasting sounds of OK Computer and Kid A in the highly anticipated Hail to the Thief.
On new effort Talkie Walkie, Jean-BenoŚt Dunckel and Nicolas Godin of the French electronica group Air join the likes of Radiohead and others in releasing an album that is certain to please fans but might not be remembered as a breakthrough release. Although great music can still come out of synthesizing two different priorities, it often leaves one to wonder if a band has left its most innovative days behind.
When Air released Moon Safari in 1998, those who were fortunate enough to pick up a copy were struck with electronic music that was incredibly warm, ethereal, and cinematic. The French duo utilized strings, synthesizers, and conventional instrumentation to produce a quiet masterpiece that could satisfy a listener as mere background music or as a main attraction.
In 2001, their follow up LP, 10,000 Khz Legend, presented a drastic change that steered away from soothing soundscapes and focused more upon dark, synth-heavy pop songs. Although it came as a shock to many, the band didn't have trouble finding an audience for the album. Yet fans were divided, many preferring the former sound, while others wanted them to keep pushing the envelope.
Talkie Walkie contains great music that brings together some of the best ideas from Air's previous work and rewards the listener with incredible subtlety. "Venus," is a perfect opener that demonstrates a gift for using a dramatically subdued atmosphere to give sincerity to simple, nearly unconvincing lyrics like: "If you were the sun, I would be your shadow. We would be together, lovers forever. Care for each other."
If Air has one talent, it is the ability to sweep away their listeners in ambience that can even move committed skeptics. Tracks like "Surfing on a Rocket," "Another Day," and my personal favorite, "Run," are evidence of a triumphant return, which unexpectedly synthesizes the dark solitude of 10,000 Khz Legend with the comforting wonder of Moon Safari while maintaining an integral balance throughout the album.
There are several departures, like in "Alpha Beta Gaga" where a loud, industrial opening gives way to campy whistling and the strumming of a banjo. Or in the hauntingly minimal "Alone in Kyoto," which matter-of-factly closes the album on a somber note without distancing itself from the mood of the previous songs. On nearly every track there is an unexpected mixture of organic, acoustic sounds and understated electric atmosphere, providing music that is above all in good taste.
Air deserves credit for distilling the essential appeal of its music on this album, yet upon several listens, the initial excitement dies down, revealing that as an innovative statement, the album is a bit thin. What the album lacks are the daring highlights seen in older songs like "Sexy Boy" and "Lucky and Unhappy." "Cherry Blossom Girl" comes close, but it is clear that Air is not as interested in challenging boundaries as they used to be. I do not mean to suggest that the album should be passed up, but it is clear that it does not have the same staying power as their previous efforts.
3.5 bears
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