Customer Reviews

Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Richly textured, intensely personal fusion of dream and noise pop from Atlas Sound, a side project of Bradford Cox, otherwise a member of Deerhunter. The intensely personal part you may or may not get at first, if ever without an explanation (available online, fortunately), since some of the lyrics are so personal as to be abstract, but then those lyrics are often lost in the mix, obscured by instrumentation, static or droning sounds, anyway. Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel can be seen as an album akin to David Bowie's Low, where the feeling one gets from the music presented is as important than anything said (or sung) directly. That said, the music here is by turns beautiful and unsettling, and for a record that's so highly experimental for the most part, it's also highly listenable. Worth checking out for fans of adventrous pop. Standout cuts: "Recent Bedroom," "River Card," "Cold As Ice" and "Ativan."

This album is one of the best of 2008, and while it may have slipped under the radar a bit, I think Atlas Sound is a more successful solo endeavor than anyone could have expected. Not as similar to Deerhunter as one may commonly assume, this album compiles what I consider some of Bradford Cox's most dreamy music. It is in the vein of a more tranquilized My Bloody Valentine or maybe even Luna, but very original simultaneously and something you would hope to hear upon entering heaven. The concerts he played to back up this album were just as incredible and surprisingly played majestically live. Bradford is one modern musician I have a lot of respect for, considering music and style is consistently changing decade by decade. Bradford escapes the realms of the average indie record and creates something totally blissful and beautiful on this album. Check it out if you don't believe me. This is healing music.

Truly great album. I highly recommend to anyone that they pick up the 20 track cd import or double-vinyl version. The 6 extra tracks are totally essential to the whole of the album. Without em' is like watching a western in full-screen.

This is some of the most sparse and lush music that I have perhaps ever heard. There are some booty shakin' IDM beats and some shoegazerish guitars. There are some groovy bass lines and then some atmospheric bliss. Atlas Sound is a bit like Flying Saucer Attack, Stereolab, and Animal Collective- in ways.
This album doesn't follow any common conventions, it sounds new and vaguely familiar simultaneously. It never occurs to the listener that all the songs on "Let the Blind" sound the same, or are boring for that matter. Unfortunately, it might just be too far out there for most people.
I still fail to see the "doo wop" influences in this that Bradford Cox (a.k.a Atlas Sound) is claiming to be primarily influenced by, but I wouldn't argue with him over that since he has undoubtedly produced an outstandingly beautiful and unique album.

Check out "Bite Marks","Recent Bedroom, and "River Card" for starters.

Bradford Cox is really adept at channeling the lonely child within- perhaps he's not even channeling at all. After reading many stories of Cox's gruelling surgeries and subsequent isolations in hospital from a young age, his inside-looking-out ruminations are crystal clear. In "Quarantined" he laments "....I am waiting to be changed..." a profound statement that illuminates this fine record.

I first heard Atlas Sound last year when I bought "Logos" on vinyl. I'm always keeping my ear out for new sounds, and Atlas Sound certainly shook my sonic world up. Just recently I sampled some bits of "Let the Blind..", and was intrigued, so I got it. I like it, although I think it will grow on me even more as time goes by. I have revisited it almost everyday this week(it strangely keeps drawing me back), and Ive found something new I like about it every time. While it's not as foused and strong (song-wise) as "Logos", the interesting sonic textures make it a worthwile listen. There's a lot less guitar on this album than "Logos". The synths and electronic percussion suggest a dreamy Tangerine Dream-like feel on some tracks. But at the heart of this record is Bradford Cox' otherworldly subdued vocals. There's not a lot of angst going on here, but at times you can feel a lot of passion. Other times he sounds detached, which I think is more of what he's going for. I don't really know how to categorize Atlas Sound, as I am older than the typical demographic for this music, but it's definitely a unique and refreshing sound.

Really suprised by this CD. One of the best releases I have heard this year.