Pixel Revolt

John Vanderslice | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 23, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Barsuk
• ASIN: B000A2H8AI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,116 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #32 in Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > Chamber Pop
  • #48 in Music > Rock > Power Pop

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This is the fifth album in as many years from John Vanderslice. He continues to use the studio as a workshop and laboratory, allowing songs to flourish as the arrangements blossom. This time out kindred spirit John Darnielle assisted, as editor, co-writer and all around sympathetic aesthetic collaborator (Vanderslice also produced his last two Mountain Goats albums). Brilliantly arranged and played, the fourteen songs are filled with utterly mesmerizing moments, from the haunting chorus on "Plymouth Rock" to the strutting piano figure of "Peacocks in the Video Rain." Vanderslice knows the power of words, with his lyrics mixing narrative certainty with poetic mystery. His melodies can, by turns, underscore the emotional character of the words, and play off of them, expanding the magical possibilities exponentially. --David Greenberger

Product Description

Vanderslice's fifth solo album contains 14 tracks built on short stories efficient and evocative enough to be reminiscent of top-tier fiction writers, and sonically gorgeous enough that the casual fan can go several listens without noticing the lyrics. In addition to several delicate, dead-on autobiographical songs,"Pixel Revolt" is full of John's trademark fictional narrators: a soldier in "Plymouth Rock" who develops second thoughts about the liberation as he lies bleeding; the anti-government militant with shaken conviction and waning commitment in "Exodus Damage"; a sinister stalker or harmless admirer of a pop singer in "Peacocks In The Video Rain"; a western journalist on a conflicted visit to an Iraqi prostitute in "Trance Manual"; the possibly paranoid-schizophrenic, possibly razor-sharp cop of "Continuation", and others.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 Stars... Vanderslice's best album yet, September 3, 2005

By 

Paul Allaer (Cincinnati) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pixel Revolt (Audio CD)

John Vanderslice continues to issue an album just about every 15 months or so, this is his 5th one since his debut solo album in 2000.

"Pixel Revolt" (14 songs, 53 min.) is mesmorizing from beginning to end. If you're not familiar with Vanderslice's soundscape, think Aqueduct meets Bright Eyes, but with Vanderslice's own unique (and at times, very personal) lyrics. Track 2 "Plymouth Rock" is outstanding, and haunting. Musically the second half of the album is actually the stronger. "Radiant With Terror" is reminiscent of the Smashing Pumpkins' "Disarm". "Continuation" in another highlight. "Dear Sarah Shu" has intricate instrumentation and production. In "Angela", under distorted percussions, Vanderslice confesses to having let Angela's bunny out of its cage and then it jumped out of the windown "and hopped down Magnolia Blvd/no way he'll survive/maybe those last days of freedom/were the best of his life". The last track feels like a release of Vanderslice's pent-up fears and frustrations, catharsis-like.

With "Pixel Revolt", John Vanderslice brings another breath of fresh air into the music scene. This surely will be one of 2005's top albums. Highly recommended!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More great JV, September 17, 2005

By 

Ked "let's see about that" (denver) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pixel Revolt (Audio CD)

This guy can craft sound like nobody's business. The lyrics are excellent stories wrapped in event mystery. The music tone and quality are top notch on every release. The only reason i gave it 4 stars is because I just happen to love a couple other CD's of his a little better. I didn't get as "emotionally vested" in this one but that doesn't mean it's not brilliant. I can't wait to hear this on vinyl. There is no Vanderslice CD that is a dissapointment.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vanderslice, you heard him..I suggest you get some!, December 14, 2006

By 

D. Gaynor "Label Junkie" (Midwest, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pixel Revolt (Audio CD)

And here I thought the storytelling/singer/songwriter was dead. Pixel Revolt really turned me on to Vanderslice. It made me want to explore his other work. It is evident from Pixel Revolt that Vanderslice can shape a story and make it beautiful in its telling. I am neglecting to explain how his songs are part internal conversations within one's self and part reminiscent of feelings which pass through us daily. In other words he has documented and articulated these emotions that are less like events but more so like a sepia tone photograph. The songs are like people watching in a well-written book.