Customer Reviews

Does You Inspire You (Dig)

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

 

 

at last, the highly anticipated and much hyped debut from brookyln trio chairlift is here. having been reviewed, blogged and talked about, everybody has attempted to compare chairlift to other artists--and they've all failed. no bands that i've heard in recent years have effectively melded such a lush blend of synthy goodness with startlingly beautiful vocals the way chairlift has. lyrics range from exceedingly clever ("planet health" is an homage to middle school health class) to warm and moving ("somewhere around here") to haunting ("ceiling wax") to completely absent ("chameleon closet").

of course, perhaps comparing chairlift to other bands is so futile because it's difficult to even compare chairlift to chairlift. no two songs on "does you inspire you" have a similar feel. slick opener "garbage" has tastes of bossa nova but then carries into a new pornographers-esque chorus before fading seamlessly into "planet health," studded with a bass riff which easily could have been sampled from a depeche mode single. here caroline's vocals reach a judy garland level of richness, merging spectacularly into patrick and aaron's tropical dreamy haze. "earwig town" is towering synth at its finest, with caroline and aaron singing a spooky precautionary duet in perfectly matched, chesty vocals.

"bruises," certain to be the dance hit of the album, is laden with addictively catchy pop riffs, but refrains from being too sweet by being smoothed over with icy synth dreams in the tradition of broadcast or john maus. "somewhere around here" is chilly and langorous, yet the vocals warm it into something eerily beautiful. "evident utensil" is brimming with 80's energy but is refreshed by absurdist vocals and heavy, toe-tapping bass.

"territory" could perhaps best be described as what might happen if anthony gonzalez of M83 composed music in the grand canyon during a thunderstorm. this song positively drips with epic synthgaze and cocteau twins-esque vocals, forming a powerful wash of sound punctuated with cowbell and flawlessly understated drumming. "make your mind up" presents us with with vocally aggressive skips which would make karen o blush, yet the instrumentals have a laidback, r&b smoothness to them. "don't give a damn" is heavily inflected with a country melancholy with a healthy touch of irony, but is nonetheless heartbreaking with shiveringly distant vocals.

"cactus palace" is a searing instrumental interlude. appropriately named, it evokes a hazy, dreamlike stupor, spiked with prickly trumpet from an alien spaceship, dripping into a mirage of chimes as it releases the listener into the haunting "ceiling wax," in which caroline quietly tells us that her time has come, her day is done, and through the echoes we can hear just a touch of wist. here we come to the end of a journey through a series of imaginary landscapes and despite chairlift's evident sense of humor and joy at music making, this journey ends on an ominous note, leaving the listener most certainly wanting more.

although it's difficult to peg, perhaps what truly ties this album together is the hazy, vaguely psychedelic, synth-driven reverie feel, which somehow never becomes heavy or lethargic. "does you inspire you" is an equally ambitious and successful effort from a band with a fresh outlook on music, which will certainly leave both and critics alike eagerly awaiting a sophomore release.

Let me state upfront I had never heard of or listened to Chairlift, but for hearing them on internet-only WOXY (Bam! The Future of Rock and Roll), the best indie-music station in the country, bar none. I loved in particular the song I heard ("Bruises") and decided to check out the album.

"Does You Inspire You" (13 tracks, including 2 bonus tracks; 51 min.) is a very promising debut album from the Brooklyn-based trio. The album's sound is hard to describe, but brings a mix of slower and some harder rocking tunes that kind of put a spell on you. Lead singer and keyboardist Carolyn Polachek is clearly the center of attention. At times her singing reminds me of Sarah McLachlan but in far more adventurous settings. My favorite tracks include the opener "Garbage", the first single "Bruises", "Evident Utensil" (which could also be a single in my book), the biting " Make Up Your Mind" (best track on the album), and the closer "Ceiling Wax". This album was originally released in the Fall of 2008, but was recently re-released with 2 extra tracks, the excellent "Le Flying Saucer Hat" and also "Dixie Gypsy".

I had the good fortune to catch Chairlift (just off of their tour in support of Peter, Bjorn and John) not once, but twice at the Bonnaroo music festival a few weeks ago. They played smaller stages on different days, and their sets were fantastic, and rocking much harder live than what you hear on this album. This is one band I will surely be following in the years to come.

Chairlift are far from innovative, as many tracks on this album sound akin to many others in their genre - yet when they shine they are as brilliant as the best.

'Bruises' is the best example of this, and interest in the group has been growing thanks to its inclusion in the new iPod Nano adverts. You may recognize the lyrics "I tried to do handstands for you, but everytime I fell for you." It's quirky lyrics and impassioned vocal delivery really sell the song, and it is certainly the high point of "Does You Inspire You".

If given the opportunity, I suggest obtaining a copy of their self-released "Daylight Savings" disc. It contains a demo version of 'Bruises' which I find superior to the rather over-produced version here. In many ways it's the same track, yet the bassy electronica aspect is more subdued. Honestly, however, the song is strong enough it could be performed with nothing but an acoustic guitar accompaniment and it would still be killer.

I suggest listening to the sound clips carefully before purchasing the entire album, as 'Bruises' is the strongest track by far. Indeed, the bulk of the album reminds me of the Terra Cotta soldiers of China - they're all different in some way or another, but if you've seen one you've seen them all.

The album as a whole is primarily composed of tracks that are built upon the sort of puerile pop structure that sounds suited for inclusion in the latest episode of "Gossip Girls". For instance, 'Evident Utensil' is just laughably bad. By the way, the 'most evident utensil is none other than a pencil.'

Well, not everyone can be Dylan, right?

In the end, "Does You Inspire You" is a pleasant enough record. 'Planet Health' has a nice groove to it, though it still suffers from a case of banality. But Chairlift do display some potential for future growth. Perhaps their sophomore effort will sound a bit more mature. . .

I'm surprised this album doesn't have slightly more reviews up for it, although I'm not too shocked that the ones that are up mostly consist of "hay guys, this CD is SO not as good as that one song I heard on the iPod commercial!". I'm sorry, but if you make your album purchasing decisions based on clips from Apple commercials then I'm not going to take anything you have to say very seriously anyway. These are the same people who probably own CD's by JET, the CAESARS and the VINES who are all regarded as horrible. Inversely I'm sure 18 years ago they would have come down on Nevermind because the rest of the album wasn't "as good" as Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Fortunately. I never actually saw the commercial and was able to approach this album with a fresh perspective. Bruises is definitely a stand out track, although so are a few others, and overall the band has a simplistic and enjoyable (if not quickly dating) sound. I would recommend this album for anyone who's a fan of Kate Bush, the Cure or "dreamy" synth pop stuff in general. I really think Chairlift are on to something solid and I'm looking forward to hearing what they cook up next.

Yes. The only reason I exhibited any kind of interest for this band is all thanks to the Apple advertising juggernaut.

Same goes for iPod hits of the past like "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?" by Jet, "Ride" by the Vines, "Jerk it Out" by The Caesars, etc. I definitely give Apple huge props for finding that perfect, cute, poppy song of the moment that seems just right for the mood of "Hey, I like that song... I should go buy an iPod!"

What I'm getting at is... the song "Bruises" which was used for the iPod Nano commercial is a good one. It's got that cute sort of bitter sweet relationshippy feel to it. Most of the rest of the album... falls short. The songs are all kind of similar, you'll get the same simplified keys and vocals stuffs with most of the songs. Reminiscent of "Maps" by the YYYeahs. Undoubtedly influence pulled from bands like Postal Service or Belle and Sebastian. If you like the song, then spend a buck and download the mp3. I personally don't care much for the rest of the record... but it's not typically up my alley as far as music, either. Listen to the samples and be real sure you're sold on Chairlift before purchasing the entire album.

Sixty seconds of listening to Chairlift, and there was no doubt in my mind that they had to be from Brooklyn.

wasn't really sure what this group was all about. bought because I saw them do one song on a talk show. was impressed by the music and vocals but am not really into all that "green" stuff as far as for my own personal music preference...

Hold me now. The gated drums, the analog synthesizers, and the bleeping sequences must all mean one thing: history repeats itself, and the Thompson Twins are moving up the charts again. Sweet dreams were made of this. As you float past the environmentally conscious "Garbage," and try on the warped "Le Flying Saucer Hat," remember that you were once too shy, shy, hush, hush, eye-to-eye. Does Does You Inspire You inspire me? I'm not sure. I still have no title what means the idea.

I bought this album to get Bruises, from the iPod commercial. "Don't Give a Damn" and "Planet Health" are fun too - the rest of the album is pretty much a 'pass' as the tone is random and gives no real sense of what this band is about. The album left my eardrums bruised and battered.

Apple is great at pairing fun songs to their commercials, but I will never accuse them of commercialising some band's 'non' hit.

Bruises is a fantastic hit.

It's the new Nano song, its destiny was preordained.

The remaining tracks on Does You Inspire You, eh- mostly forgettable.

Having said that, Bruises will probably be included in the 2008 infomercial compilation releases.

Here is my question to you: listen to the Cure - Close To Me - and then listen to Bruises...

It's the same track, isn't it?

Safa Maiwand, DDS

I thought the song on the iPod Nano commercial was from the 1980's. But, Chairlift recorded Bruises in 2008. The rest of the recording, while not as catchy, is equally dated. Face it: the 1980's were a bad decade for music. Let's not regurgitate the cheesy synths and programmed drums of the past.