Astronautalis - Mighty Ocean
< author: james >
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Astronautalis The Mighty Ocean and Nine Dark Theaters Label: Fighting Records Release Date: 05/23/06 |
I’ve been waiting for this album ever since I first saw Astronautalis last August. It’s been promised, un-promised, re-promised, unfulfilled and now, finally, here it rests in my hands. And after hearing it all the way through a number of times, I must say it was worth the lies and delay.
After hearing Astronautalis’ debut, You and Yer Good Ideas, and seeing him live, the Gods of Indie Music cocked their perked ears toward this Jacksonville native. About a year ago, while Astro was waltzing through the streets of Florida, a blinding light appeared from the heavens, and lo and behold, the Gods of Indie Music knelt down from their Thrones of Obscurity to have a few words with the man. Sipping from their Holy Crunk Goblets and sporting their Fashion Hawks of Glory, they gave the stunned rapper Three Commandments:
1) Thou art from a state of the Confederacy, and therefore thou shalt tinker with the southern rhythms, banjos, hootins and hollerins, and other musical pastimes of thine Rebel ancestors.
2) Despite ethnicity, thou art very much a rapper, thus thou may and shall rap over bass heavy hip-hop beats and some dang sweet beat boxing.
3) Above all else, thou art a songwriter, so do that which need be done to make the song great. Go crazy with thine music, utilize the ambient, the hip hop, the Western, the indie rock, the avant-garde, and if thou art really feelin it, do songs without rap. Aye, we said it ho-bags. No Rap.
The decrees were observed, and a year later, a great album was born.
What stuck out over everything else straight from my first listen was the quality of the music. While the last album felt a bit like a rapper seeking the right beats and samples to back up his lyrics, the music on The Mighty Ocean… is so much more expansive and technical than before. Working closely with multi-instrumentalist Radical Face (The guy on “Fourth of July” from the first record), Astronautalis’ new songs grow and travel and change with the progression of the lyrics, demonstrating the careful creativity of a songwriter, not just a rapper. I’m sure a lot of the quality owes itself to the mastering of Emily Lazar, who has worked with the likes of David Bowie, Depeche Mode, and flippin Sonic Youth. The only downside to this is that it took me about three listens to really start noticing the words, which is a shame considering Astronautalis’ wonderful literary style. Despite this, the delivery still finds improvement with Mighty Ocean, capturing his relaxed rap style with the intensity of his incredible live show (June 1st!).
I find minimal faults with this CD. The album holds a great deal of singing, and Astronautalis is no classically vocalist, but even the somewhat off-key sound works in its own way. Sometimes lyrics are a bit difficult to decipher, there’s the occasional musical drag, and his voice comes off a bit monotone at times, but there’s very little that leaps out at me as a mistake.
Almost all the differences of the two albums can be summed up in the fact that the last album was recorded in 3 days whereas this was the work of one and a half years. It’s an “album” in the true sense of the word; the way old prog-rock bands meant it (minus the space stations and operatic tales). Song connections are fluid, the emotions/music/vocals all function together to give the songs vast dynamics, genres are totally blurred, and there’s even the required 10 minute epic (that actually deserves all 10 minutes!). I find it difficult to start track one without finishing track 13. If you haven’t heard Astronautalis before, you need to come in, listen to tracks 2 and 12 (then buy it). If you already like Astronautalis, then I wouldn’t even bother with the listen, just skip to step two. Hell, it’s worth the money just for the packaging, with one Polaroid for each song with lyrics printed on the back. Trust me, the grillz of the Indie Gods are smiling ear to gauged ear on The Mighty Ocean and Nine Dark Theaters.
A friend of mine named Brian Moon said of the album, “I feel like a maiden swept off my feet whenever I listen to it,” and he has humongous biceps. I think he pretty much nailed it.