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album review
On Ratatat's first two albums, the duo of Mike Stroud (guitar) and Evan Mast (programming/various instruments) developed a unique sound. Lodged in the sweet spot between hard rock (spiraling dual-guitar leads, crunching beats) and bedroom electronica (squirmy synths and lots of lo-fi invention), they crafted memorable songs with soaring melodies and huge hooks. On LP3 the duo has kept its unique guitar sound and the hooks but made a few subtle changes. They rely more on live drums and percussion throughout, but more important to the feel of the record is the use of a wide range of keyboards like piano, Mellotron, Wurlitzer, and harpsichord. Thanks to this more organic approach and the laid-back nature of many of the songs themselves, LP3 strikes an interesting balance between the late-night jams perfectly suited for driving abandoned city streets they are known for, like "Mirando" and "Shempi" on one hand, and fragile ballads like "Shiller" and "Black Heroes" on the other. It makes for a slightly fuller listening experience, only slightly because past albums weren't exactly one-dimensional, but still more fleshed-out and varied. Certainly the duo has never made a track as sticky sweet and summery as "Bruleé," and Ratatat haven't used acoustic guitars before as they do on the majestic "Mi Viejo." The short tracks (the Spaghetti western-inspired "Flynn" and cute music box melody "Gipsy Threat") that pop up as slightly corny interludes are a nice new touch, too. In the end, though, the record isn't that big a departure. Tracks like the sharp-as-a-sword "Mirando" and "Falcon Jab" would have fit right in on either of their previous albums, and the trademark Ratatat sound overlays the entire record. Instead of changing their sound to accommodate a wider palette of sounds, they wisely chose to incorporate them into their aesthetic. It's an inspired move that will help them keep their old fans and still allow the duo to progress musically. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
more albums by this artist
See all-
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- Classics
- Released 2006
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- Ratatat
- Released 2004
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- Germany To Germany
- Released 2004
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- Shempi (2-Track Maxi-Single)
- Released 2008
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listener reviews
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Amazing!
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- By Matt 37405
- 9/29/2008 05:03:45
- Gives a whole new reason to listen to music and especially instrumentals!
- 4 out of 8 people
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What is a song?
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- By SportsUnit
- 9/21/2008 01:53:05
- Ratatat, a unique duo of keyboardist and master guitar player, have released another hit album full of reversed guitar riffs and exotic sounds. Their sound, which has a deliberate hip-hop flavor, also appears to have electronic and dance roots on some of the album's tracks. Shempi is a notable standout track, featuring wild vocoder laced sounds and a groovy drum pattern.
With great drum tracks, synthesized sonds from the great Nord Lead keyboard, and their now famous layered guitar howls, Ratatat once again breaks new ground. With virtually no vocals present on this classic LP, they again ask you to rethink the question; what is a song? I'm not sure anyone knows the true answer, but look no further than LP3 if you're in search of good music. - 1 out of 1 people
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Just got this
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- By TC ExMachina
- 7/15/2008 18:22:43
- Just found out last night that they made a new album so I went and downloaded it as fast as possible. I must say that this is a great album their sound has changed a little since the other 2 but its still top notch stuff.
- 2 out of 2 people
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top listeners
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- 57 plays
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- 53 plays
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- 69 plays
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- 57 plays
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