Atlas Sound - Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
by Daniel Cressey
published: 8 / 5 / 2008
Label:
4AD
Format: CD
intro
Confusing and seemingly incoherent, but ultimately compelling combination of lo-fi rock and electronica from Atlas Sound, the solo project of Bradford James Cox, who is Deerhunter's lead singer
A sprawling, incoherent mess. On a first listen that is exactly what 'Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel' tends to sound like. It might sound like that on the second listen as well. Equal parts lo-fi rock and electronica it only sometimes makes sense. It is these times though, where a kind of coherence swirls together, that drag you back in for another listen. When at their expansive best these songs are a brilliant lo-fi exploration. Standout track ‘Decent Bedroom’ could be a mission statement, sounding like a long lost pop classic coming through on a distorted radio while pirate broadcasts from Sigur Ros, the Smashing Pumpkins and unidentifiable others occasionally attempt to crash the same frequency. At other points though the songs can sound a barer. On the numbers that are stripped of their layers, 'Let the Blind…' seems shallow and even tinny. Some tracks aren’t even really coherent as songs. They just drift in and out of your stereo, having left a faint impression of vague pleasantness on your ears. As a whole package there is something about 'Let the Blind…' that is compelling. I’m dammed if I know what it is though. This album is hard work. Even those who like it will find it requires careful attention. Try putting this on as background music and you’ll get little out of it. To be honest I’m not even sure if I like this album. But I’m sure I’m going to be listening to it again and again in an attempt to find out.
Track Listing:-
1 A Ghost Story2 Recent Bedroom
3 River Card
4 Quarantined
5 On Guard
6 Winter Vacation
7 Cold As Ice
8 Scraping Past
9 Small Horror
10 Ready, Set, Glow
11 Bite Marks
12 After Class
13 Ativan
14 Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
Label Links:-
http://www.4ad.com/https://www.facebook.com/fourad/
https://twitter.com/4AD_Official
https://plus.google.com/explore/4AD
most viewed articles
current edition
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - Sala Apolo, Barcelona, 29/11/2023 and La Paqui, Madrid, 30/11/2023Anthony Phillips - Interview
Difford and Tilbrook - Difford and Tilbrook
Rain Parade - Interview
Oldfield Youth Club - Interview
Autumn 1904 - Interview
Shaw's Trailer Park - Interview
Cafe No. 9, Sheffield and Grass Roots Venues - Comment
Pete Berwick - ‘Too Wild to Tame’: The story of the Boyzz:
Chris Hludzik - Vinyl Stories
most viewed reviews
current edition
Marika Hackman - Big SighSerious Sam Barrett - A Drop of the Morning Dew
Rod Stewart and Jools Holland - Swing Fever
Loves - True Love: The Most of The Loves
Ian M Bailey - We Live in Strange Times
Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run
Autumn 1904 - Tales of Innocence
Roberta Flack - Lost Takes
Banter - Heroes
Posey Hill - No Clear Place to Fall
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart