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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Weird and Wonderful World of Ratatat, July 10, 2008
Ratatat definitely has a recognizable sound. Once you know it, it's easy to pick out. With this being the case, LP3 is very interesting.
The instrumentation in LP3 is easily recognizable as Ratatat; however, the album feels dramatically different from their first two efforts. The band is less interested in dropping a danceable beat and then rocking through it with blazing guitars. Instead, they attempt to use their buzzes, beeps, and fuzzy riffs to create epic soundscapes. Try to imagine a video game based on the travel of an ordinary man to a strange and unexplored planet. The discoveries he makes will change the path of human history for ever. And so while the overall sound belongs distinctly to Ratatat, the concept feels very different. The band has evolved tremendously for the better.
LP3 is a strange menagerie of the complexity and breadth of electronic music. The opening track, Shiller, introduces us to Ratatat's new direction. The ebb and flow of harpsichord and electro-guitar builds the strange soundscape in which the rest of the album resides. Mi Viejo features a flamenco tinged acoustic guitar piece placed against clattering drums. Following is Mirando, driven with atypical drumming. And the album carries on, stretching a repertoire I never knew Ratatat possessed. LP3 eventually ends with Black Heroes, a pleasant, cheery ditty.
The album affects the listener much like The Flaming Lips' Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. It's captivating, curious, weird, and wonderful. While lacking the lyrical prowess of Yoshimi (and lacking lyrics period), Ratatat packs LP with alien vistas viewed through the virtual reality of electronic music. To many listeners you won't find anything like it.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ratatat has done it again!!, July 10, 2008
Unlike Classic and Ratatat (their first album) LP is much more tone down... then their previous work... It has a mix of Hip Hop style dance feel to it. But still retains the Electronic rhythm that Ratatat has always done so well in. This is one album that at first you might not get right into it, but after a listening to it a few times, I've grown to like it...
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Groovy, International Flavor!, July 16, 2008
With each release, Ratatat has further pushed the boundaries of modern instrumental music. In their first album, Ratatat, they introduced their sound, causing people to wonder "Is it electronic, video game-style music? Is it rock?" It's both! With Classics, they refined that sound, and indeed made a 'classic' album chock full of catchy tunes and interesting soundscapes. On LP3, while the pacing of the songs is largely similar to those in their previous albums, in that there are plodding, atmospheric numbers along with punchier ones, the mix of textures heard here is quite rich and varied, blending to create clear pictures of where they might be heard. For instance, I interpret "Mirando" as a trip through a jungle in a river boat, "Flynn": the gloomy backdrop for walking in the rain, "Shempi": from a disco dance floor, "Dura": a picture of neo-Victorianism."Mumtaz Khan", perhaps my favorite, sounds like belly-dancing music!
Due to the diverse nature of the tracks, some listeners might not find this album as accessible as the other two. Sure, there is the ever-present, familiar Ratatat sound (especially on "Falcon Jab") oftentimes, but this group has made so much progress in this album I can't say that there has been anything comparible in scope released by other bands in recent years. LP3 strikes me as a soundtrack of some non-existent movie, and I wouldn't be surprised if, in the future, Ratatat were approached to compose film scores. Anyone who has enjoyed their previous albums is highly likely to dig LP3, and I also think this would be daring starting point for new listeners.
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