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The Power Out
02/02/2004 5:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Roger Park
On their second release The Power Out, Electrelane declines conventional song structures with their complex, genre-crossing blend of moody and alluring experimental rock. Engineered by legendary producer Steve Albini, the album carries a compelling intensity among the varied and evocative songs. On “Love Builds Up,” droning keyboards and spacey textures lean towards Stereolab influences while the angular “Only One Thing Is Needed” is a bizarre and driving tune that is part electro and part Ornette Coleman sax freak out. To further confuse and inspire adventurous listeners there are songs like “The Valley” that features a wobbly organ line and a swelling 12-person choir. The effect on that particular track is both eerie and epic. For more soothing and subtle landscapes, album closer “You Make Me Weak At The Knees” unfolds with a cascading piano line over minimal drum beats. Some of the songs are instrumental while some are sung in French, German, Spanish and English. But this female quartet from Brighton, England doesn’t trap itself in pretentiousness; the quest for discovering new sonic landscapes is honest, intense and imbued with an exciting unpredictability. Overall, Electrelane’s The Power Out is an ambitious and worthwhile listen.
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