Thursday, August 11, 2011

John reviews "Motorcycle Fetishist".

I've decided to return this blog to its original purpose. My recent camping trip has calmed my nerves, and I haven't had any blackouts in weeks. My father has also been very supportive, even if my friends haven't. All in all, things are looking up.

Today I'll be reviewing "Motorcycle Fetishist", the debut album by Divisible By Nine. They've been getting decent airtime on college radio with their lead single, "Leper Moth", which is what caught my attention and prompted me to buy the album. And I have to say, it is mesmerizing. If I were the type to drive a car -- which I'm not, anymore -- it would never leave the CD player.

Tor Oddsson is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist, and also the band's chief songwriter. His voice takes on a casual, almost conversational tone in most of the songs, and yet somehow it never loses the melody. And what's more, he never sounds bored -- each and every song is fueled by Oddsson's passion for the words and the music he's presenting to us. This passion, combined with indie rock sensibilities and a helluva beat, are what have led to "Leper Moth"'s success.

"Motorcycle Fetishist" is at its best, however, when it challenges authority. "Do the Fucking Math", the album's penultimate track, blends hip-hop and indie rock together into a beautiful tapestry that I've yet to hear outside of an Astronautalis record. Tor's smooth flow and the hypnotic beats easily make this the highlight of the album.

Divisible By Nine have a long way to go if they want to be millionaires, but they have my completely unqualified seal of approval.

3 comments:

  1. I did the hard part. Someone else can figure out what the anagram is.
    These are the letters:

    A E G I I K N N R S S W

    ReplyDelete