With the whirlwind of news in the last couple of weeks, LCD retiring (?), White Stripes (?!) breaking up, Arcade Fire winning the big one (?!?), and new Radiohead album Saturday (?!?!) the staff (of 1) here at Running with the Beat doesn't know whether to sprint 6 miles or retire as well. We run on, however, and albums like the Go! Team's latest, Rolling Blackouts, certainly help clear up this myriad of mixed emotions. Rolling Blackouts is the Go! Team's third effort after nearly a 4 year layoff. After their breakout debut, Thunder Lightning Strike, and an uneventful sidestep with Proof of Youth (an album subpar of the standard set on their debut, with less hooks), the Go! Team triumphantly return with an album that is seemingly BUILT for running.
The Go! Team-T.O.R.N.A.D.O.
The Go! Team know how to bring it. Their blend of rapping/chanting/singing lyrics over layers of horns, rock, and hip hop beats sounds like Girl Talk, if Girl Talk were an actual band. From the opening song, "T.O.R.N.A.D.O." it is evident that the horn section will be a prominent feature of this album. In fact, most of the album's more triumphant moments utilize powerful horn hooks to take the sounds over top. "T.O.R.N.A.D.O." kicks the door open with fist pounding fury, and rolls in to the more poppy "Secretary Song," a forgettable song until, once again, those horns kick in around the 2:30 mark. As with many songs on the album, "Secretary Song" gets better as it goes, and just when you think it couldn't get more powerful, or catchy, they throw another layer at you, which bodes well for running, it just keeps pushing you harder.
Similarly, on the masterpiece "Apollo Throwdown," the song starts jangly enough, but keeps building, and each time you think it has reached the chorus, the Go! Team piles on more. As I mentioned in the initial posting of this song, this song will have you wanting to shadow box down the streets and high five everyone you pass. I would love for someone to make a highlight reel of Apollo Creed in the ring to this song, when the horns and strings kick in, you instantly get a boost that carries you into the stratosphere, transcending space and time, aches and pains, thoughts and worries until its conclusion.
The Go! Team - Apollo Throwdown-
Thankfully the 60's doo-wop of "Ready to Go Steady" follows to even things out a bit. This one could have been released in 1963 (minus a few layers), and if you're wanting to sell your mom on the Go! Team, this would be the number. Catch your breath quick though because "Bust-Out Brigade" follows with the conquering bombast of an even more inspirational "Gonna Fly Now." If Sly ever decides to make a Rocky VII (!?!?), this would be the soundtrack. It's like "Gonna Fly Now" on steroids, a promenade of horns that once again, will have you shadowboxing down the streets, a great song for ANY triumphant moment in life.
The Go! Team - Bust-Out Brigade-
Rolling Blackouts runs deep too. There is hardly a dud. The initial single (featuring Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino), "Buy Nothing Day," doesn't appear until the midway point of the album. While filled with super hooks and being really driven, this song doesn't really add up to "Apollo Throwdown" for me as a lead single, but its manic pace will not slow you down one bit, the tremolo guitars taking the place of the horns to provide a substantial boost. After this they slow things down with a couple of instrumental tracks but the album never falls off. Even the slower tracks provide a chance to take in the landscapes that surround you, as they are a perfect score to slower moments of reflection on the course (and to catch your breath from the bombast of previous tracks). Tracks like "Voice Yr Choice" offer even more horns. On this one, the horns on this one probably provide the biggest contrasting boost to the rest of the song, once again, providing a fist pumping anthem., and the title track opens with a sludgy Clouds Taste Metallic Flaming Lips-like gutter bust of guitar/drum splatters that carries right into the send off track, "Back Like 8 Track," the perfect anthemic sendoff into whatever these guys and gals have in store for us next.
Overall, I think this is one of the best albums I have ever run to, as mentioned, it seems like it is built for running/working out. Lyrics? I have no idea what they are even saying most of the time, but the chants provide another amazing layer over the epic sounds that lay underneath. Beyond running, this music is straight party music too. As I mentioned, it's so dense, it sounds like Girl Talk, if Girl Talk were a real band.
It's a beautiful day (in Chicago at least), get out and run, hopefully to this album. It will assuredly push you to new heights. There are moments in this album where you transcend everything and it just carries you for blocks (or miles) at a time, the ultimate mark of music to work out to. Expect a RWTB review of the new Radiohead King of Limbs (which drops Saturday), early next week. Preordered it, and plan on taking it for a test drive on either Saturday or Sunday.
Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. ~Charlie Parker
... if girl talk was a real band. Ha.
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