Day two of Pitchfork Music Festival started off with torrential thunderstorms, but as the day went on the sun eventually worked it’s way out from behind the clouds and it turned out to be another exciting day of great music from 18 different artists including Atlas Sound, Cults, Youth Lagoon, Wild Flag, Sleigh Bells, Chromatics, and Grimes. Check out all the photos from Saturday below.
Sometimes a musician has so much to say they simply can’t be contained by just one project. Case in point is Atlanta’s Bradford Cox. He may be best known as the front man of Deerhunter, but he’s been toiling away as Atlas Sound since the wee age of 10. His prolific nature has been fostered by his success, leading to seven LPs and a number of smaller releases over the past five of six years both with Deerhunter and on his own. While the comparisons to his full time band will undoubtedly be all over the blogosphere Parallax serves as his most individual statement yet.
Cox’s work under this name has allowed for exploration of more experimental territory, often it’s less structured than the music of Deerhunter, and it always gives him a great avenue to showcase his stream-of-consciousness lyrics. While 2008’s Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feeland 2009’s Logos were obscured by a spectral haze Parallax is much more to the point. Cox’s desire to explore the unhinged seems to have been drawn back, and instead he’s built a total of 14 tight, well-executed songs, what he has termed ‘sci-fi fever dreams’. Perhaps for the first time he’s making pop music, this is especially true of tracks like "The Shakes", "Amplifiers" and "My Angel Is Broken", the psychedelics have been dialed back in order to make a more concise statement.
The most successful moments of Parallax come when Cox is able to use this pop-centric sensibility to serve his more experimental aims. "Te Amo" is a simple combination of percussion and strings, but when combined they form an entrancing beat that allows Cox’s voice to soar, and likewise the title track uses a bunch of chirping electronics to lift him into outer space.
Stumbling blocks do exist on this LP however, as there are a few places where Cox’s mind gets the better of him. "Modern Aquatic Night Songs" and "Flagstaff" both seem to drift on aimlessly and have trouble fitting in
with his stronger, tighter arrangements.
Still, as has been the case with Atlas Sound and Deerhunter alike, it seems as though the level of quality has gone up with each successive release and Cox’s ability to conjure up solid lyrics on the spot is pretty astounding. Parallax may end up being Atlas Sounds’ most accessible record, but that’s not a bad thing at all. He had already proven that he could be the psych punk fueled weirdo, but now he’s proving he can be a pop star too.
The name Bradford Cox might sound a little familiar. That is because he is the enigmatic frontman of buzz band and psychedelic ambient-rock outfit, Deerhunter, as well as producer to some of today's most awesomely awesome bands (see Black Lips older material). When he's got some down time, he's usually tending to his solo side-project, Atlas Sound. Atlas Sound is very ambient as well, a bit more structured and often quite melancholic (is that a word?), with a heavy emphasis on textures and electronic soundscapes; i.e. it's really f'n good. Fans of the group are in for a treat as it was recently announced that a new album, entitled Parallax, will be set for release November 8th on 4AD records. The picture posted above is the album cover and the album will contain 12 new tracks and one track, "Terra Incognita", is available now to listen. Do yourself a favor and get it when it comes out. If it's anything like Logos or Let the Blind See Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel, it could become your favorite album of 2011.
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