Customer Reviews

Dust of Retreat (Exco)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Witches, vampires and "glass eyed pets" inhabit Margot and the Nuclear So-and-So's' debut album, "The Dust of Retreat."

But despite all the otherworldly stuff in it, this is an album about bruised, abused love affairs, wrapped up in multilayered indie-rock. And the Indiana band has a unique, shimmering brand of music that sounds like the Decemberists locked inside a haunted house.

It opens with the haunting, otherworldly strains of "A Sea Chanty of Sorts," a mournful ballad that launches out into sweeping solos at times. "And if you love well that should be enough/instead it turns your joy into sorrow," Richard Edwards murmurs. "My women lied/she was a witch in disguise... when we kissed/it didn't feel poisonous..."

He follows it up with the bittersweet "Skeleton Key" ("I did a sick, sick thing to my love/My lack of loyalty, it swallowed her up"), bouncy chamberpop about vampires, blasts of electro-riddled indie-rock, folky pop about vampires and the emptiness of fame, and languid indiepop with a poignant edge.

When a band is named after a Wes Anderson character (Margot from "The Royal Tenenbaums"), you know it's worth a second (maybe a third) listen. And this is the sort of music that you'd expect to find in such a movie -- poignantly introspective, and a tad whimsical. In a good way.

Guitar melodies swirl around the music, interspersed by haunting, voicelike shimmer of synth, and the dusky sweeps of cello strings, all wrapped up in a mellow Rhodes passage. There's the occasional jazzy trumpet, folky banjo, tambourine, and piano melody too. None of the songs are actually bad -- but the ghostly chamberpop is what works the best.

But no matter how perky the pop, it always sounds kind of sad -- the songs are full of lovers who left, drugs, sleeping alone in lonely houses, and wild parties full of loneliness. With his mellifluous voice, Richard Edwards always sounds like a guy who is watching it all slip away: "Just cover your neck/Cause life is full of your regrets/And I should be one."

"The Dust of Retreat" is a wonderful debut for this band, growing more intriguing and alluring as you listen to it. Excellent music, heralding great things to come.

Margot and the Nuclear So and So's deftly combine sounds of folky acoustic guitar, driving electric guitar, smooth cello, and catchy piano to create a wonderfully unique sound. Singer/songwriter Richard Edwards, formerly of the band Archer Avenue, continues his trend of unbeatable vocal melodies paired with poignant lyrics. While Archer Avenue's album I Was an Astronaut will break your heart if it's not already broken, Margot's Dust will make you realize that there are more beautiful things in life to be concerned with than love. Themes like the bitterness of life and loss of childhood innocence are prominent throughout, but instead of drowning in minor keys and drop-tuned guitars, Richard leans toward the more subdued, introspective end of the spectrum. Rather than wallow in the sadness, he finds beauty in the grays and browns of urban life.

Excerpt from review of original Standard Recordings release (May 5, 2005) from Rockmusicreview.com (Jack Shepler, editor-in-chief)

Full review of Artemis Records re-release (March 28, 2006) to be posted later.

This has, in the nearly 2 years since its original release, become one of my top albums of all time. The songs are beautiful with melodies so well written that you instantly feel like you know them. Richard's songwriting is brilliant - sweet, sometimes sad, and emotional without being cheesy. The instrumentation is beautifully crafted and well thought out.

Highly recommended.

I don't generally write reviews, even for bands and albums that I genuinely quite enjoy. This, though, is definitely an exception in any number of respects. Really, Margot is an exceptional band in every respect, and contrary to some of the other reviewers, I don't think they really sound quite like anyone else.

Death Cab For Cutie and Arcade Fire seem to be the most common comparisons, but Margot, for me at least, seems a lot more... genuine, perhaps? The songs ring true because they're both poignant and touched with humor, rather than just being chocked full of emo over-sensitivity. They also sound amazingly polished, considering this is their first release and the band has only been together about a year. Their sound is also amazingly deep and layered, partly for the obvious reason that they have an eight person band where most bands are half that, and also because the vocals are just as genuine and beautiful as the songs themselves.

All in, definitely pick up a copy... its one of the most satisfying things I've heard this year.

I purchased the original independent release of this album and it is remarkable. Amazing songwrtiting, unique and compelling arrangements, vocals that will break youir heart. It's very likely the best CD of 2005, in my opinion. I plan to pick up the re-release because this album is just that damn good. Do yourself a favor and order it now.

As far as I'm concerned, Richard Edwards is the second best songwriter making music today.

He crafts beautifully simple tales of love, loss, hope, skepticism, optimism, desperation, acceptance, confusion, wisdom, intelligence, humor, wistfulness, passion, fatigue, fantasy, cats, and cleverness. One feeling strikingly absent from the range of emotions is regret. No matter how dark Edwards goes, he always seems to have a firm grasp on the bigger picture, a sense that he's smarter than the shittiness in life. It makes me feel happy and safe.

I won't discuss any particular songs except to say that "Talking in Code" is my third favorite song of all time.

Where I'm at in July 2007, Margot's web-site says their second album is titled "Animal!" and will blow us all away. I've heard demos and live performances of several of the new songs (in particular "Broadripple is Burning" and "Ocean"), and I honestly believe the next album might possibly be better than "The Dust of Retreat", whether its really called "Animal!" or not (which I personally think would be a ridiculous and genius name). They enjoy making up outrageous lies about themselves, so who knows.

These guys will be talked about for years to come within the indie genre at least, and will hopefully find appreciation from a wider range of smart people. They're inventing their own genre and it's a masterpiece, and they deserve to make a lot of money for it. But that likely won't happen.

If you like Margot, also check out Brand New, Okkervil River, Rocky Votolato, Straylight Run, Andrew Bird, and Voxtrot.

There is not one song on this album that isn't good! It keeps me bouncing while I drive. In constant rotation in my cd player :)

I saw Margot and the Nuclear So and So's live the first time I ever heard them. I love there sound, though I will say they are better live. They have a ton of different instruments involved and they are much more vibrant live. I still love the CD, I am afraid I am going to wear it out actually, and then have to buy a new one. My advice: If you like music that isn't the same old stuff over and over again (*cough* Radio *cough*) def. get the CD, but if you ever have a chance to see them live, don't miss out. They are on Myspace if you want to look to see when their shows are.

I first heard of Margot & The Nuclear So and So's on XM radio (which I also highly recommend.) I was not a big fan at first, but oh did they grow on me. There is no casual Margot fan. They're entire CD is absolutely amazing. Every song is good. I am sure this band will start catching on. I highly recommend investing in this band and buying their album.

I am giving them 5 stars because they actually are good. I'm not giving them 5 stars just because they are 'new' and never heard of. Well, I guess if you like "The Decemberists" or "Death Cab for Cutie," you might like Margot & The Nuclear.....The only reason I mention these two other groups is because they are quite well known. However, I would consider Margot experimental due to the hint of different genres involving rock and pop and the many instruments used. Yes, I'm sure Margot can be compared to a few other groups as well, but similar to what I said earlier, Margot is not exclusive to one genre. Margot's music is considered indie rock right now. In their music you hear folk, modern rock, jazz, pop. They are different, unique and each track captures you in a different state of mind, for example, some tracks capture you with quiet humor (Dress Me Like a Clown) while other tracks capture you with the same emotions you feel while listening to an old-time country song. The lyrics are superb. They are very imaginative and unique. His voice does blow me away. I would love to hear this group live!