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Autolux
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Future Perfect
DMZ Records
Release: 10/26/2004
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Rated:
Review by:
Morley Seaver
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Take the coolness from jazz and add some Doors' free-form airiness and lock into a rock format and you've got Autolux. The band is one of the first signings of a new label from T-Bone Burnett and the Coen Brothers (The Big Lebowski, etc.).
Made up of singer/bassist Eugene Goreshter, guitarist Greg Edwards and drummer Carla Azar, the band has acquired a sizeable following in its native Los Angeles. After forming in 1999, they gigged consistently on the west coast, eventually selling boxloads of their 5-track demo CD. As radio play picked up across the world, they received offers to open for such acts as Blonde Redhead, The White Stripes and the Breeders.
Their debut full-length record features a fairly full sound for a three piece, courtesy of producer T-Bone Burnett. It kicks off with the set's best foot forward: "Turnstile Blues." A confident Charlie Watts-style drum intro sets up Goreshter's subdued voice. His laconic (think heroin stupor) guitar is the framework for this song which features an awesome chorus.
"Angry Candy" has a vocal line that was annoying the first time I heard it, with the weird notes. But it quickly grows on you, making this a top pick. "Subzero Fun" has a jarring but memorable chorus that slaps you as you're admiring the tranquil verses. "Sugarless" starts off slowly but picks up for the verses before culminating in another winning chorus. "Here Comes Everybody" strolls along with a languid verse before cranking up the guitar for… you guessed it, a memorable chorus.
"Blanket" is another up-tempo cut that turns in some nice speed change-ups to keep your ears perked. "Great Days for the Passenger Element" is an almost-Beatlesque dirge that's a nice breather from all the commotion. The rest of the cuts are equally good. In fact there's not a clunker in the set.
Autolux is like a Layne Staley coma mixed with hooks a-plenty, mysterious layers and disengaged but strangely engaging vocals. I didn't get any heat from the record after the first spin, aside from the opening cut. As I played it over and over, the poison began to creep in. Now I'm hooked. I suggest you join me… pick up this record. |
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