Carisma Leyva
Staff Writer
After a 10 year hiatus, “Death From Above 1979” makes an extremely admirable comeback with its new album, “The Physical World.” Its latest release is an 11 track medley of passionate songs and left little to disappoint.
“The Physical World” combines smooth guitar and meaningful lyrics to create an eccentric album that meets the standards of previous “Death From Above 1979” albums.
The duo consists of Sebastien Grainger on drums and vocals and Jesse F. Keeler on bass, synths, and backup vocals. After pleasing listeners with their sounds as a band from 2001, they broke up in 2006, citing musical and creative differences. However, after reuniting in 2011, the two are back with new music.
Their last record “You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine” was released in 2004 and set a high standard. In its day, the album was unlike anything else in alternative music and created an entirely new atmosphere. This revolutionized both their sound and that of other musicians’.
Vocals for “The Physical World” are mesmerizing. Grainger’s vocal prowess and ability to portray his emotions through his words is something that keeps a listener entertained through the passion exhibited. Grainger’s talents are especially revealed in the song “Right on, Frankenstein!”.
The guitar is another element of this album that is eccentric and differs from modern styles of playing. Guitar on this album enhances the sound greatly with resonating tones and entertaining riffs. The album is filled with classic rock and roll guitar playing, bringing back the feel of the 90’s. Keeler’s guitar skills are amazing, especially in the track “Always On.”
Drums on this album are better than before seen by the duo. A heavy pulse pumps through each and every song, making all moments of listening exciting. The percussion parts on this album were tasteful because they were so strategically chosen, especially in “Cheap Talk.”
Lyrics for the album made a big impact on the listener, though they could have been better overall. On this album, the band became repetitive with its lyrics, which tarnished parts of the album. However, though, most songs were heartfelt and entertaining, like “Crystal Ball” and “White is Red.”
In “The Physical World,” the song “Virgins” made an incredibly bad impression. Its lyrics droned on and on about a meaningless topic for three minutes. Only adding to the calamity of the track, overbearing guitar and drums made for an uncomfortable listen.
The best song on the album is definitely “Nothin’ Left”. With heartfelt lyrics, the track adds a whole new layer to “The Physical World”. The vocals on this track are perfectly suited to Grainger’s range and his portrayal of his emotions are entrancing. Many other elements including guitar, drums, and backup vocals, help to make this song perfect.
Despite minor setbacks, “The Physical World” is an amazing album. “Death From Above 1979” brought back its classic style with ease and finesse. Both Grainger and Keeler are passionate in everything they do, and complement each other greatly.
“The Physical World” is available on iTunes for $9.99.
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