The Aliens: Astronomy for Dogs
The Aliens' debut has been surrounded by hype
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Monday, 19, Mar 2007 01:59
EMI, out March 19th.
In a nutshell.
Psychedelic. Poppy. Loony. Bouncy. Introspective.
What's it all about?
Astronomy for Dogs is the debut album by the Scottish three-piece featuring former members of The Beta Band.
Previous singles such as The Happy Song have created quite a stir in certain quarters eager for some balmy pop tomfoolery following the demise of The Betas in 2004.
Who's it by
The Aliens are fronted by Gordon Anderson of Lone Pigeon fame, who was briefly in The Beta Band and has unfortunately suffered from mental illness for the majority of his musical career.
Backed by Robin Jones and John Maclean of the Betas, the band play a kind of folk-dashed pop, not dissimilar to the magic of their previous band, which has seen them play a spot at the Green Man Festival.
Their psychedelic drenched music encompasses a wide range of influences, taking in the Kinks, hip-hop and the Madchester sound of the nineties.
As an example.
"I am a Robot Man"
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Beta Band fans are known for their die-hard devotion of the sadly demised band and are likely to snap this up. The addition of a new front man in place of the very-much missed Steve Mason might garner them new fans, as Anderson is known for his charismatic on-stage persona.
Quirky music of this ilk often gets music critics scratching their beards and nodding sagely - so it's likely the album will get some nominations at the very least.
What the others say
"This unmitigated sense of joy in the act of creation pulls you, headfirst, into their world. Astronomy For Dogs sets a glittering path for others to follow." - Chris Campion, The Observer Music Monthly
"[The Aliens'] debut is as melody-ripe as anything from [Brian] Wilson's brain." - Jamie Fullerton, NME
So is it any good?
Having heard previous singles The Happy Song and the bonkers Robot Man I couldn't wait to listen this album and assumed I'd really enjoy it. But while this album does have its moments - Rox and Glover are full of musical twists and turns that are both interesting and innovative - it mainly disappoints.
Given the abundance of artists and bands out there making magical, psychedelic music packed full of ideas, it would be churlish to lavish praise on The Aliens who are breaking no new ground with this record. Where the Super Furry Animals, the Flaming Lips and The Bees are able to emulate their heroes while forging new territory, The Aliens sound dry and forced in their delivery.
Opener Setting Sun is a case in point. Sounding like something the Soup Dragons would have chucked away as a B-side, the song is a flat album opener which features the kind of thin, weedy blues-guitar soloing you'd expect to see from pub rock bands whose entire list of influences comprises The Stone Roses, Oasis and The Happy Mondays.
The Aliens have an undeniably interesting history, but reviewers have fallen into the trap of being seduced by the background of the artist rather than paying attention to the art itself. The Observer spent two-thirds of its review trawling through the band's history (including Anderson's illness) before spending a third on the music itself. Meanwhile, other critics have dropped casual comparisons to Brian Wilson, though the album fails to reach such glorious heights. Damaged musicians and troubled geniuses make great rock biographies, but it's an insult to sully their reputations by comparing this album to their inventive work
There are a few lovely moments at work here, where the music equals the hype, but the songs are hampered by an overall feeling of an album with no coherent identity. Madness in art can deliver great beauty, but in this case it's responsible for a half-baked mess.
5 /10
Pranam Mavahalli