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05.23.2013 - Daft Punk - Random Access Memories - Review by Trevor Meyer
Mozart (would be - Doin' It Right). To me, it seems as though Mozart has been reborn, because if he were alive today, he would most definitely be avant-garde and yet, it is undeniable that he would be bound to orchestration. So here we have it, the music of the greatest composer ever to live, giving us music that is both avant-garde and with an orchestra. They have really put together an amazing ensemble of talent to help them with this album.
Of course Daft Punk is all about making one move to the music, and for their theme they picked 1960's California Cool. And it's not that they just nailed it, but it is so much more than that.
Oddly, I will begin with track #9; Beyond. Wow, what a beginning of a song. An explosion and it is masterful, DP uses the orchestra to just unleash in a sweeping exploit of power and energy. The bridge moves into a slow jam that later brings in the orchestra again. To me, it is obviously that DP is giving so many DJ's and the likes a full score of music so that they can mix, mash and re-mix this song over and over again. The orchestra is so wonderful to have here. "The end and the beginning - love and the journey of the soul," this song encapsulates all that is within these lyrics and it does it so through the lyrics AND the music.
Daft Punk as we all know have revolutionized the world of music and continue to do so with this album, but where they top - even themselves is in their medleys. At around 3:30 in this song, I got excited, I knew that DP was setting up a new medley in-wait; it's a nice slow bubbly bit and I hope they bridge and mix it into a "Brainwasher" bit that will give us the superfluously high and lows that we all love, look forward to and feel while at or listening to DP live.
This song is so tight, it is so clean, it's wonderful to listen to all that is (or is not) between the notes, that's how amazing this song is.
Track #1; Give Life Back to Music. The intro is definitely an intro. It sounds as though you are watching a 1960's TV show about space exploration. The title of the song is "Give Life (Back to Music)," and right from the get, DP shows their brilliant use of less is more. As a great haiku is about showing and not telling, they start their new album with giving life. They give new life to us with wonderful music, it is - yes, a throwback to the `60's and yet, it being DP, it is also futuristic.
Track #2; The Game of Love. Well, let us get right down into it. DP is and has always been about music and making love. References like "Digital Love" (from their Discovery album) and "Make Love" (from their Human After All album) make this song "fitting." It has a nice subtextual flow and rhythm, you shan't be disappointed.
Track #3; Giorgio by Moroder. Like "Teachers" (from their Homework album,) it has a very nice and respectful introduction from (therefore - towards) Giorgio Moroder, and after his intro the rest of the song is such a solid showing of his use of a click, manipulations of sounds and freedom from ironically a single "click," and through that single click(ing), we get to hear DP give us a boundless expression of beautiful music.
Track #4; Within. Chilly Gonzales has a wonderful solo piano introduction here that is exploratory, with much that is "said" within the keys/notes that are played, it is very clean, uniformed, playful and adheres wonderfully to the song. A great use of catharsis, where you get to explore as we all do, asking questions for and about life, ourselves and having and giving/consoling insight. I'd like to say that this emotively expressed all of high school for me, but it did more than that, as it is also moving as a 39 year old man having a great best friend in my life that I like to share whatever I can with. I cherish my wife and my best friend as I do this song.
Track #5; Instant Crush. The aforementioned song resurfaced emotions of being in high school. But I mean, "Come on!," this song is amazing. Julian Casablancas voice is, is, it is perfect, fore you could not find a better voice to fit. It is, the wonderful exploration of your high school crush when you actually get time and space alone with your early "Instant Crush." The music is slow, soft, but has energy to it. The voice is soft and has a lowered background voice that mixes so well with the beginning pace of this song and Casablancas' high pitched voice throughout the song is dreamy, exacting and so melodic. I believe this is my favorite song on the album (so far). But don't be afraid to listen to this song and dance with someone else or at least sing it with your arm around the shoulder of a friend.
Track #6; Lose Yourself to Dance. Pharrell Williams' voice on this is just great, once again, it gives and adds to the song perfectly. All of the players in this song collaborate in such a way that every note is where it should be - they all shine in this fun clap-along dance song.
Track #7; Touch. The robots travel, and are interested, they talk of touch, with the digitized popping voice that remembers touch. Paul Williams Jr. voice is waning or intrepid in the beginning and then it becomes more commanding as he remembers what he wants - love. Piercing, passionate love.
Track #8; Get Lucky. Putting an explanation point on the point that I have been making. DP brings it all together with this 1960's California cool, love making song. It is a fun funky song that pops, and will help get you from the dance floor to elsewhere. Ph Whilliams voice is in sync with the feel of the album and certainly leads this good luck feeling song, this will be the theme song for the summer nights for we who like getting lucky.
Track #10; Motherboard. This music is so moving, now - I love the use of the orchestra, but before the orchestra starts in this music, DP shows how critical they are of themselves, their standards make them a one-off, a stand alone. They are capable and able to have and keep the big picture in mind while giving us the best with spot specific attention to details. As each instrument is introduced it gives it's own importance and yet does not detract from the music on a whole. It is a peek around the corner, bubbly, surprised, song that is allowing you to come in, welcoming, then the orchestra tips its toe into the water, which then has a bluster that cuts through the middle of the song. It does not rip it apart to detract, it just has music on both sides of that bluster. then as that bluster continues, memories are both made and accessed from where you have been, where you want to go, and THEN it gives you a punctuation with a sizzle that gives you the freedom and boundlessness that makes people feel free and alive. It kindly walks you back to the path and lets you walk away as you like, as you please. Really moving music.
Track #11; Fragments of Time. Well, before the lyrics even start, you feel either, "Damn!, I wish I had a convertible so that I could listen to this song with the top down." Or, "I am really glad that I get to listen to this song in my car so that it can consume me as I drive down the road." Funny enough the first line is "Driving this road down to paradise," I mean, come on, it is just so perfect. How does DP do it? How do the let us know how to feel without even telling us with words? I don't know, because they constantly do, and then as if to show off, they then add the lyrics. And you say to yourself - "You jerks (DP) I was just thinking that!" They are amazing, this is one of the many things that makes them so unbelieveable, their attention to details gives so much, so much to little this and that's and yet they always give to the big picture or song in general.
Doin' it Right = MY FAVORITE TRACK ON THIS ALBUM.
Track #12; Doin' it Right. This song has a nice even flow, slow motion, the playful mix between the robot voice "doin' it right," and Panda Bear is as mentioned playful. It is as though the two are meshing together, and like sex, when one finishes and you know that you have done it right, the song ends with Panda Bear finishing with single bass line and the lyrics of "if - you - lose - your - way - tonight, - that's - how - you - know - that - the - magic's - right." I mean, come on!, it's so good.
Track #13; Contact. This song kind of brings it all together, and while that might be a bit reaching, the song does have quite a bit going on. You will notice the drums, which sound as though they are a real drum set being played, not synth drums, but of course the synthesizer is also prevalent, the song is real and synth music, the title is "Contact," it is at the end of the album, so it is the end, and yet the contact is the beginning. It left me wanting more, and I do want more.
As I have mentioned, Mozart has been reborn, and we should appreciate this type of brilliance when it is in our presence. DP - masters of the medley - I cannot wait for DP to tour.
People, I wrote such a long review because it has basically been acknowledged that only through classical music could you get or relate any human emotion that one could have. But here Daft Punk's Random Access Memories has been able to do just that. I do not mean that every single piece of classical music should or can fill you with every emotion possible, but for whatever emotion that you feel, I am sure that there is a classical piece that can correspond to that emotion. So, what I am getting at is that DP's RAM is moving, and it should be able to move you and once you have listened to this album, from here on out, when you may Randomly Access your Memories and when you and your emotions call upon this music - it will come as perfection as it will comme il faut.
by Trevor Meyer
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