The Milk of Human Kindness

Caribou

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 3, 2005)
• Original Release Date: April 19, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Domino
• ASIN: B0007ZSH4O
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #31,720 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Track Listings

1. Yeti

2. Subotnick

3. A Final Warning

4. Lord Leopard

5. Bees

6. Hands First

7. Hello Hammerheads

8. Brahminy Kite

9. Brumheller

10. Pelican Narrows

11. Barnowl

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Dan Snaith's Manitoba project is back with a new name but his hypnotic music hasn't changed. Caribou, like Manitoba, is still heavy on electronic jam sessions, with peculiar swirls of sound and stoned instrumental wanderings leading you who-knows-where. The Milk of Human Kindness also has that faint whisp of ‘60s bubblegum pop (see "Bees") and Stereolab-like drone present on Manitoba records like Up In Flames. Such reference points provide welcome toeholds in the midst of all the laptop anarchy, preventing the whole thing from drifting off into the ether. Snaith puts a few other twists on Milk, with mixed success. On the plus side, the sharp opener "Yeti" is a quick burst of fun, while "Lord Leopard" knocks up the beat a notch toward hip-hop territory. The lamentable "A Final Warning," however, falls off the deep end into an almost comedic dead-end. Still, Snaith continues to show off boundless creativity, and when he conjures the right mix of chaos and cohesion like he does on "Brahminy Kite," the result is a glorious noise all his own. –Matthew Cooke

Product Description

The first record after changing the band's name from MANITOBA to CARIBOU, DAN SNAITH delivers a heavy set of his most developed music to date, touching on influences as distinct and impressive as Neu! and Soft Machine. Full of life and tasteful production/instrumentation, this art record's got antlers, though still progresses like a more delicate animal.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A total mind blow, January 16, 2006

By	L. H. Lohnes (Overthere, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This music has no boundries or categories. It's almost Debussy like in it's expansiveness and seeming lack of traditional structure. You just have to check it out and get pulled in like a vortex.
I saw Caribou as an opening band recently and the live show is nothing short of jaw droppingly amazing. They totally blew the headliner off the stage and into the next state (and the headliner is one of my all time favorite bands). Don't miss Dan's Caribou when they come to your town, unreal.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Recommended Natural Trip, September 28, 2005

By	J. Becker "Music Critic" (Denver, CO, USA) - See all my reviews

This new record from former Manitoba involvee Dan Snaith is a relatively short, naturalistic trip. The track titles, artwork, and music evoke usually-innocent pastel mind-wanderings, complete with background saturation and effects. Several of the tracks are short interludes which despite their short length are very enjoyable to listen to. "Subotnick", "Bees", and "Hello Hammerheads" employ sparse vocals which lend the album a more personal feel. "Lord Leopard" employs a straight hip hop beat to carry a nearly Baroque harpsichord melody, resulting in an ironically catchy product. Other standout tracks include "Drumheller" which is likewise a very short track but is calm and evoking with its soft melodies and unique sixteen beat. "Pelican Narrows" is perhaps the best track, utilizing Four Tet-esque analog acoustics to create a fuzzy, warm, happy feeling.

Perhaps the only negative aspect of THE MILK OF HUMAN KINDNESS is its relatively short length. However, it is certainly a well-worthy purchase.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome, May 3, 2005

By	ander (Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews

I am truly amazed at what Dan Snaith has put down. He is one brilliant man. Up In Flames may have been a rock meets electronica affair but Milk of Human Kindness is electronica that's got a bit of funk, folk and FM.

This album starts off with a fast moving romp that will probably be the closest thing Dan will actually get to recording a dance track. If Madonna had done some experimental drugs when she was recording Ray of Light, it might have sounded like this. It then takes some bends and turns touching on 50's and 60's doo-wop, 70's funk, 80's hip-hop.... It's really a journey through a lot of musical styles. It puts a really interesting spin on the music as does his hypnotic Beck-like vocals.

This is definitely one of the best this year. All the songs are great but the standout tracks are YETI, LORD LEOPARD, BEES, DRUMHELLER (a small town in the heart of the Alberta badlands where the dinosaurs roamed - very cool landscape up there) and PELICAN NARROWS.