When Electric Guest teamed up with Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse,
success was ensured. It has been a long road up to this point.The
ambition of band member Asa Taccone, singer/songwriter, as well as
drummer Matthew Compton is undeniable; Burton has several Grammy's to
his name as well as a long list of acclaimed collaborators. The result:
an electronic dance and pop record that is well produced and honestly, a
lot of fun. Debut album Mondo, despite the inconsistencies, is a good launching point for a career.
Opener "Holes" is an offbeat number filled with dense lyrics and
surrounded by a wash of synthesizers. It slowly builds over time,
finally reaching a peak towards the end but ultimately fails to stand
out. The following song, titled "This Head I Hold" wastes no time in
bringing the fun. Catchy from the get-go, Asa designed a clever hook and
rhythm that will certainly have you tapping your feet in delight. It's
quirky and inviting all at once. "Awake" is one of the better songs as
well, MGMT style chorus and mood included. The tempo change
three-quarters in is welcomed and serves the song well, giving the last
bit the legs it needs. The true highlight here, is the near 9 minute
behemoth "Troubleman", a song that was clearly not written for airplay.
That of course isn't why it's good: it's twisting, turning and ever
morphing psychedelic grooves would be the reason. Asa sings "Me and my
heart following the shadow she made/like a dull sky day I chased the
sun/back at the start/I was still in love with the way/it's a long long
way from what's become," like a man once curious with love but now
unsatisfied. It's extremely catchy stuff, and absolutely worth the
listen.
When Electric Guest experiment a little bit outside their box the
results are decidedly more mixed. "Amber" is a weak song; It doesn't
really fit with the rest of the album and is rather sluggish and tepid.
When the repetitive nature of the lyrics are also considered, you have a
recipe for a boring song."The Bait" is decent, albeit tedious. The
final two tracks are somewhat paltry following the aforementioned
"Troubleman" as neither do a good job of wrapping the album up with
something memorable.
The album is somewhat of a mixed bag throughout, although there is some
really good stuff here. The single is good, as well are several of the
songs that are more aligned with that style. Other tracks see the band
veer off course when they try to reach too much. Needless to say, I want
more. 75/100
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