Since their inception in 2002, Dave Longstreth and Dirty Projectors have made music that is staunchly independent, and they rarely keep things the same from one release to the next. The experimental streak that defines their sound has set them apart from other contemporary indie-rock bands, and the most common comparisons they draw are to greats like David Byrne and Frank Zappa, though Longstreth has admitted he’s not a fan of the latter. No matter who they sound like one thing is certain, Dirty Projectors are the only ones around today making music that sounds like this,
Their newest album, Swing Lo Magellan, is a continuance of that independent streak. This time around Longstreth did much of the songwriting on his own while isolated in Upstate NY, writing something like 70 different tunes before eventually trimming that number down. As usual the off-kilter vocal melodies that typify much of their work abound, and tracks like ‘Offspring Are Blank’, ‘Gun Has No Trigger’ and ‘Dance For You’ are easily remembered.
The album’s most endearing quality is a sense of spontaneity that is present from one end to the next. You really get the idea that much of this music was created on the fly in the spirit of fun. The sunny 60’s-kissed pop of the title track is the most readily apparent example of this carefree nature, the Projectors are having a good time and it’s easy to hear.
In the end, Swing Lo Magellan may go down as the band’s most accessible record, which is certainly not to say that they’ve held anything back. The music is still hard to pin down and full of unique flourishes, but there is a level of simplicity to everything that is more welcoming than anything else Dirty Projectors have done. They may reach a wider audience with this release, but they didn’t compromise who they are in the process.
Their newest album, Swing Lo Magellan, is a continuance of that independent streak. This time around Longstreth did much of the songwriting on his own while isolated in Upstate NY, writing something like 70 different tunes before eventually trimming that number down. As usual the off-kilter vocal melodies that typify much of their work abound, and tracks like ‘Offspring Are Blank’, ‘Gun Has No Trigger’ and ‘Dance For You’ are easily remembered.
The album’s most endearing quality is a sense of spontaneity that is present from one end to the next. You really get the idea that much of this music was created on the fly in the spirit of fun. The sunny 60’s-kissed pop of the title track is the most readily apparent example of this carefree nature, the Projectors are having a good time and it’s easy to hear.
In the end, Swing Lo Magellan may go down as the band’s most accessible record, which is certainly not to say that they’ve held anything back. The music is still hard to pin down and full of unique flourishes, but there is a level of simplicity to everything that is more welcoming than anything else Dirty Projectors have done. They may reach a wider audience with this release, but they didn’t compromise who they are in the process.
Grade: B+
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