Battles: Gloss Drop

Battles
Gloss Drop
Rating: Meh

Battles' first album, Mirrored, was a huge surprise when it dropped out of nowhere back in 2007. It was experimental, quirky, challenging, goofy, and fun at the same time. The songs were endlessly inventive, and I was constantly finding new things lurking in the mix. The band famously insisted that there were no front men, each member bringing their own stamp to each song; each contribution providing a necessary component to the track, if removed would have spelled disaster. Thus it was with shock that Tyondai Braxton left the group, and I wondered if, or how they would replace him. Battles decided not to replace him and continue as a trio, enlisting the help of several vocalists to fill in some blanks. The resulting album is Gloss Drop. It is definitely a transitional album, the band seeming unsure about how to continue with the loss of Braxton. While it is not the unmitigated disaster it could have been, the weak moments far overshadow the stronger ones.

When Battles stick to their strength (quirky instrumentals) they still create some fascinatingly bizarre music. Lead track "Africastle," moves dexterously from post-punk guitar washes and plonky synths into a guitar raveup propelled by John Stanier's drum machine precise skin work.

01 Africastle by mrfinkster

"Futura" locks into a driving groove before erupting into a psychedelic raveup of guitar, organ and keyboards.

03 Futura by mrfinkster

"Inchworm" sounds almost like a beefed up Animal Collective track, featuring lots of swirling, undulating synths and bass drones.

04 Inchworm by mrfinkster

"Wall Streeet," works itself up into a frenzy of dense tribal drumming and goofy keyboard sounds.

05 Wall Streeet by mrfinkster

Even the snippet of a track "Dominican Fade," has a jauntiness that echoes some of the best moments of Mirrored.

07 Dominican Fade by mrfinkster

Aside from these tracks, the rest of the album is pretty much a train wreck. Too many times they string together aimless instrumentals ("White Electric"); snippets of tracks that either lack in ideas or don't work with the idea they have ("Toddler" and "Rolls Bayce"); or try to force in a guest vocalist to add interest. What was great about Mirrored was that there really were no vocals, it was usually Braxton's voice manipulated and processed, becoming just another instrument in the mix. But utilizing name vocalists this time around, the songs become at best ordinary, and in worst case downright unlistenable.

"My Machines," features Gary Numan on vocals and honestly makes me skip the track each time it comes on. Over a Wire-esque drum track and looping guitars, Numan's voice mumbles, mutters, and howls through the practically atonal track.

06 My Machines (Featuring Gary Numan) by TCMFG

First single "Ice Cream," features Chilean electronic artist Matias Aguayo on vocals, attempting to recapture the glory of Braxton's vocal manipulations, and it all bogs down in uninspired, Phish-style jamming.

Ice Cream (Featuring Matias Aguayo) by BATTLES

"Sweetie & Shag" is by far the most straightforward track on the album, but even the vocals of Blonde Redhead's Kazu Makino can't save it from diving off the cliff into repetition.

08 Sweetie & Shag (Featuring Kazu Makino) by mrfinkster

And I don't fully understand the appeal of using the Boredoms singer Yamantaka Eye on closer "Sundome." Musically it is one of the best tracks on the album, but is derailed by his nonsensical and quite irritating vocal bellowing.

12 Sundome (Featuring Yamantaka Eye) by mrfinkster

Unlike Mirrored, which was perfectly paced and laser focused, Gloss Drop finds Battles completely confused as to purpose and direction. It appears the band tried to make up for losing Braxton by adding the guest vocalists, but instead of seamlessly integrated them into the fold, the vocalists only stand out like sore thumbs adding to the confusion. Based on the tracks I did like, none of which featured vocals at all, Battles still has something there to recommend. The band just needs to realize, like many other bands that lose integral members, that you can't bring in something to take the place of the loss, you either need to adapt with what you have, or strike out in a new direction.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.