Au - Both Lights (CD, Vinyl LP)

We played this in the office the other day and there was moaning. There often is but there was extra moaning. I've blocked it all out now but I wanted to hear these guys properly so I chucked it in my bag to give it a spin at home. It's only been on for a couple of minutes and I don't remember it sounding like this. The opener is a skronky percussive beast with a crazed frenetic drumbeat and some guitar hero business going on. Kinda nuts. Before you know it you're in more avant pop territory with Luke Wyland (who plays everything except percussion) doing some Beirut(y) vocals. I suspect you'll either love or hate his vocals.... I don't like them but I'm fascinated by the jerky music which is all over the shop. It's epic pompous pop music with some mental drumming and over the top vocals. The musical arrangements are interesting though... it's one of those albums where the songs sound like an entire album as they're so complex. Well not all of them are as there's some more straight up arrangements but even the more straight up tracks are a bit bonkers. This is proper experimental pop music and the way it borrows from different genres is thoroughly absorbing.