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Track Listings
| 1. Black Night |
| 2. Going Under |
| 3. Good |
| 4. Sleep |
| 5. Don't Try and Hide It |
| 6. When Will You Go |
| 7. Hunting Season |
| 8. Companions |
| 9. Don't Stop |
Editorial Reviews
The drums hit you in the chest first, spraying your speakers like swift gunshots. But htem Meric Long's finger-picked chords kick in, cascading across Logan Kroeber's brass knuckle beats like only the best Dodos song can.
This forward motion feeling has driven the duo since 2005, but several key changes lift their fourth LP (No Color) to another level. For one thing, the band reunited with Portland producer John Askew, the man behind he boards o the Dodos' first two full lengths, Beware of the Manics and Visiter. Having an old friend along was like adding an honorary third member; a voice of reason who isn't afraid of vetoing ill-fated ideas. Ideas like glossy layers of vibraphone that lost their luster halfway through.
The main focus of No Color was to bottle the frenzied folk approach that s been there since the beginning. And it works damn well, from the dagger-drawing dynamics and brain-burrowing choruses of Black Nigh to the hairpin turns and splashy percussion of Good. And then there are the songs that make you want to dub old episodes of 120 Minutes, including the instrumental break of Don t Stop and the sneak attack solo that weaves its way around the steely rhythms of Don't Try and Hide It.
'We're more naked this way,' explains Long. 'You can hide a lot of your mistakes on an acoustic, but with an electric, every single note is much louder and more piercing. So I have to be way more on top of my playing now.' And so do we.
This forward motion feeling has driven the duo since 2005, but several key changes lift their fourth LP (No Color) to another level. For one thing, the band reunited with Portland producer John Askew, the man behind he boards o the Dodos' first two full lengths, Beware of the Manics and Visiter. Having an old friend along was like adding an honorary third member; a voice of reason who isn't afraid of vetoing ill-fated ideas. Ideas like glossy layers of vibraphone that lost their luster halfway through.
The main focus of No Color was to bottle the frenzied folk approach that s been there since the beginning. And it works damn well, from the dagger-drawing dynamics and brain-burrowing choruses of Black Nigh to the hairpin turns and splashy percussion of Good. And then there are the songs that make you want to dub old episodes of 120 Minutes, including the instrumental break of Don t Stop and the sneak attack solo that weaves its way around the steely rhythms of Don't Try and Hide It.
'We're more naked this way,' explains Long. 'You can hide a lot of your mistakes on an acoustic, but with an electric, every single note is much louder and more piercing. So I have to be way more on top of my playing now.' And so do we.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase
Good albums are very hard to come by these days, but as a music listener, this is what I'm after. I want to fall in love with an album, from beginning to end. While, yes, there may be some weaker points along the way, isn't that a reflection of life?
I first saw The Dodos when they opened for The New Pornographers last summer. I crushed hard. Their energy and simplicity moved me, even when I had never heard one their songs.
After outplaying the P.J. Harvey album (80 times according to iTunes), I went on another quest for the perfect album experience. I noticed the Dodos No Color artwork and downloaded it immediately. It took some courting, but for some reason, I couldn't stop revisiting. The second half of the album is lighter and tougher to impress, but after four listens, I was hooked on the entire experience. You might find the drumming a bit intense in the beginning, but once the melodies and lyrics seep into your brain, you're going to keep coming back for more.
The high-energy opener "Black Night" leads into a more subtle yet intricate "Going Under", which morphs by the end into a pleasing spectacle. The earnestness in Meric Long's voice is sweetly painful on this song.
Dance and rock out to my favorite track "Good," which transforms so easily into the folksy freakpop of "Sleep" and "Don't Try to Hide It", both featuring backup vocals from Neko Case. Her voice works well here, and the addition of the strings and layering of voices on the former will haunt you.
"When Will You Go" again features some fantastic endearing emotional vocals from Long, yet by the end of the song he seems to lose his intensity, which begs the question, did he stop caring? "Companions" comes next. While the lyrics are fantastic, "I know you did your talking with me as a trophy head," I found these last two songs the weakest moments on the album, but I think they're good breaks because "Companions" and "Don't Stop" wrap up the album nicely with lingering melodies, fantastic guitar work, and lyrics that move.
Spend the small fee and give it a couple of spins. I'm 100% sure you won't be disappointed.
I first saw The Dodos when they opened for The New Pornographers last summer. I crushed hard. Their energy and simplicity moved me, even when I had never heard one their songs.
After outplaying the P.J. Harvey album (80 times according to iTunes), I went on another quest for the perfect album experience. I noticed the Dodos No Color artwork and downloaded it immediately. It took some courting, but for some reason, I couldn't stop revisiting. The second half of the album is lighter and tougher to impress, but after four listens, I was hooked on the entire experience. You might find the drumming a bit intense in the beginning, but once the melodies and lyrics seep into your brain, you're going to keep coming back for more.
The high-energy opener "Black Night" leads into a more subtle yet intricate "Going Under", which morphs by the end into a pleasing spectacle. The earnestness in Meric Long's voice is sweetly painful on this song.
Dance and rock out to my favorite track "Good," which transforms so easily into the folksy freakpop of "Sleep" and "Don't Try to Hide It", both featuring backup vocals from Neko Case. Her voice works well here, and the addition of the strings and layering of voices on the former will haunt you.
"When Will You Go" again features some fantastic endearing emotional vocals from Long, yet by the end of the song he seems to lose his intensity, which begs the question, did he stop caring? "Companions" comes next. While the lyrics are fantastic, "I know you did your talking with me as a trophy head," I found these last two songs the weakest moments on the album, but I think they're good breaks because "Companions" and "Don't Stop" wrap up the album nicely with lingering melodies, fantastic guitar work, and lyrics that move.
Spend the small fee and give it a couple of spins. I'm 100% sure you won't be disappointed.
By M. Buisman
Format:Audio CD
The Dodos' new album is just nine songs long, perhaps a result of the slightly disappointing previous album. Fortunately the good elements have remained: the strange time signatures and the percussion like strumming of Meric Long. Opener and single "Black Night" is a good example of the newer, louder style. Long's singing is still mediocre at best bur the vocal melodies make up for a lot. They were also helped this time by Neko Case who lends here remarkable vocal talent to a few of the songs, lifting them up and giving a nice extra color. Songs that are already dominated by some great hooks, making you remember at least part of the song after only a few plays.
The new sound doesn't always work live, where they can become too loud. It works on this album: The Dodos are back on track.
The new sound doesn't always work live, where they can become too loud. It works on this album: The Dodos are back on track.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
So random story: heard Black Night while working at REI. Thought it was the only good song on their radio station that I hadn't already heard. Shazamed it. Previewed the album. Bought the album before I was even done previewing all the tracks, and I'm now an addict. Why have all the indie stations not just fallen head over heals in love with this band?! I listen to them regularly and haven't once heard a track from The Dodos, and this is their best album by far.
The first thing that hits you is the energy level. The drummer is a maniac with that thoroughly unique style of his, and the singer croons like a folk rocker but plays guitar like his soul is on fire. The second thing is the professionalism of these songs. They build and they shift and throw you surprises to keep you guessing, rarely being content to play like a normal song with verse/chorus/verse, etc. I love how When Will You Go begins soothing and meandering, and bursts into full life by the end. This band incorporates elements of Explosions in the Sky with their "movements," but the sound is some sort of wild mash-up between The Shins, The Strokes, and Phoenix, yet unlike any of those directly. It's like nothing I've ever heard, and I'm so hooked.
The first thing that hits you is the energy level. The drummer is a maniac with that thoroughly unique style of his, and the singer croons like a folk rocker but plays guitar like his soul is on fire. The second thing is the professionalism of these songs. They build and they shift and throw you surprises to keep you guessing, rarely being content to play like a normal song with verse/chorus/verse, etc. I love how When Will You Go begins soothing and meandering, and bursts into full life by the end. This band incorporates elements of Explosions in the Sky with their "movements," but the sound is some sort of wild mash-up between The Shins, The Strokes, and Phoenix, yet unlike any of those directly. It's like nothing I've ever heard, and I'm so hooked.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing after the last two
I was excited to pick up this album when it came out after enjoying previous Dodos albums. 'No Color' combines elements of the last two Dodos albums but doesnt seem to add anything... Read more
Published on April 6, 2011 by Spark Jonz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful
This instantly became one of my favorite Dodos albums. I have to agree with others when it comes to saying that "Time to Die" was disappointing, and I was so glad to hear how... Read more
Published on March 16, 2011 by HK
5.0 out of 5 stars
Swell!
For existing fans of the Dodos you will like this new album. For new listeners, get into it! They are awesome live too. Full of complex drum beats and guitar licks.
Published on March 15, 2011 by Photographer Mike
4.0 out of 5 stars
Buy
If you don't know Dodos, I recommend that you first purchase "Visiter" after you listen to that then buy this album. Read more
Published on March 15, 2011 by folk_tylore
5.0 out of 5 stars
Straight up blast.
It's hunting season again. So, the question becomes should anyone register after the rather large blemish "Time to Die" left on our spirits? Read more
Published on March 15, 2011 by Kevin Satterwhite
Listmania!
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