The Dandy Warhols Are Sound

Photo credit: spotibot.com

ARTISTS: The Dandy Warhols

ALBUM NAME: The Dandy Warhols Are Sound
LABEL: Beat the World Records

TRACKS: 13
DURATION: (53:37)

YEAR OF RELEASE: 2009

RATING: 7

WEBSITE: http://www.dandywarhols.com/

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Burned"	7:02
2.	"Scientist"	3:13
3.	"We Used to Be Friends"	4:11
4.	"The Last High"	6:27
5.	"Wonderful You"	4:28
6.	"The Dandy Warhols Love Almost Everyone"	2:12
7.	"I Am Over It"	4:46
8.	"Heavenly"	3:21
9.	"Plan A"	4:59
10.	"Rock Bottom"	3:02
11.	"I Am Sound"	4:05
12.	"Insincere"	3:30
13.	"Pete Int'l Spaceport"	4:19

It all started with a trip to the local library. In search of a new album to amuse, delight and tantalize my ear drums, I came across The Dandy Warhols Are Sound on the CD rack.

The banana on the front cover with its splayed zipper was all the motivation I needed to listen to this release and I’m glad that I did.

Whether it was intentional or simply a reflection of their West Coast roots, The Dandy Warhols Are Sound was chock-o-full of references to the all-mighty "budski". With its generous helping of  low-octave vocals, repetitive chords and streaks of galactic-sounding embellishments, this psychedelic release should have been sporting a brownie instead of a banana on its front cover.

No other track exemplified this better than, “I Am Over It”. With its shameless incorporation of the bong and lighter, it was a total trip through the "greenery":

   

Now, according to the band's website (http://www.dandywarhols.com/news/the-dandy-warhols-are-sound/) Capitol Records (their label at the time) didn't approve of this release and instead, remixed the record to create, Welcome To The Monkey House (which explains why the Capital Records logo is scratched-out on the cover of The Dandy Warhols Are Sound). Even though I haven't listened to Welcome To The Monkey House, if their mix of "I Am Over It" is any indication of what I can expect from the rest of the tracks, I'll gladly take a pass:

I found this particular mix to be rather dirty and less refined than its "twin brother from a different mother". And while on the surface it appears that the band had been amicable about their creative differences with Capital Records ("They opted out of using our preferred mixes and remixed the record on their own to create Welcome To The Monkey House, a great album that we, and most of you, also love." Source: http://www.dandywarhols.com/news/the-dandy-warhols-are-sound/), the fact that the album cover is prominently sporting the word "BURNED" makes me think otherwise!

While listening to the release, I was surprised by the vocal range of lead singer Courtney Taylor-Taylor. Especially during the track, “Plan A”. Hearing Courtney hitting those higher pitches reminded me of the first time I head legendary folk singer Judy Collins on Sesame Street:

Okay. Why does this feel so wrong? 

Hmmmm..maybe it's because I'm showing a clip of little kids on a wholesome children's television show when reviewing a CD that pays homage to the "Toke-Puff-Bong". 

(If you say it quickly enough, doesn't it sound like a Vietnamese law firm?)

Well, if I had to take a guess, I'd say that Judy inhaled during her protest days so maybe I shouldn't feel so bad.

  

All-in-all, The Dandy Warhols Are Sound is a fun little release that’s as easy on the eardrums as it is on the noggin. 

Now breathe deep and hold it...hold it....h-o-l-d...i-t!

REVIEWED BY JAMES RHA