Review Summary: Montreal three piece follows up the excellent Parc Avenue by upping the tempo and cutting the song length on this solid sophomore full length
Plants and Animals may just be another indie collective from the most French province in Canada but at least they have less than twelve members (as pointed out in the review for Parc Avenue) and their music for the most part avoids the melodrama typical of a number of their peers. Despite resulting in increased space to rock on stage their decreased membership also makes for a much less cluttered sound than many of their indie rock contemporaries as well. After their initial release which was completely instrumental and featured a track that was nearly twenty minutes long the band decided to add vocals on their following EP With Avec and continued down this path with their creative breakthrough Parc Avenue. On La La Land they continue their evolution with an album that is generally more up tempo than its predecessor and its songs for the most part are much more concise. The album, while not quite on the level of Parc Avenue and the structural adventurousness inherent in some of its suite like tunes, is nevertheless a solid addition to their canon. Half of the album was finished in their native Montreal while the other half was recorded in France in a brief five days in the very studio where Feist recorded her debut album, Let It Die The three piece may not be part of Canada’s elite indie rock bands like Wolf Parade and Destroyer quite yet however with La La Land they should definitely be mentioned in the same breath.
The group isn`t your standard three piece as the band, for the most part, deploys a twin guitar attack with additional touches of saxophone, piano, French horn, trumpet and violin sprinkled throughout the record for flavour. Their drummer is an incredibly fluid player who often takes centre stage during their concerts with both his precision and vigour becoming infectious. After touring extensively behind Parc Avenue this album seems to lie much closer to their live set with a few years on the road resulting in a tighter feel musically as a unit. As the band has succinctly put it in interviews in support of this album it sounds like the Stones while their debut was more akin to the Beatles. Opener Tom Cruz rides in on a Crazy Horse sounding guitar line and the vocals are delivered with a nervous energy that is different from any of the other vocals on the album and quite capable of holding your attention throughout its duration. Swinging Bells floats atop a haze and serves as a quasi title track with its refrain matching the album`s title despite its different namesake. The track ends so abruptly that on initial listen it may seem as though American Idol is just the second half of Swinging Bells. However, this is only until the sax and trumpet enter and they once again display their willingness to use horns which was first shown on the initial track on their self titled debut release, Boyfriends And Girlfriends. Much of the lyrical content initially seems to focus on celebrity and the perceived trappings synonymous with many people`s views of LA however the band has said the title and content is more related to a state of mind rather than a particular place. Hence Tom Cruz is a name they gave to the rum and cokes they were downing during the songs creation and the stupid smirk they put on your face and not a reference to the infamous couch jumper. After the initial three tracks the band stretches out for a longer piece that is more structurally reminiscent of their debut and like many of Parc Avenue`s highlights it starts slowly and builds to a rousing conclusion. This track like much of Parc Avenue may require a few listens to reveal its charms to some listeners. Kon Tiki music has a breezy effortlessness that perfectly complements the lyrics that describe a day spent relaxing in the titular hotel listening to the Gypsy Kings and waiting for the next show in San Francisco. The album is excellently sequenced as after its quick start it generally follows its mellower songs with up tempo ones helping to avoid monotony and after the quirky Kon Tiki they place one of the albums slower songs the excellent Game Shows. The Mama Papa was an obvious choice for the single as it is one of the most initially appealing cuts on the album with its peppy tempo. The song has an almost metronomic rhythmic backbone that recalls Kraut Rock and makes it much more interesting than the standard singles dominating the college charts which are often the safest tracks musically off the albums from which they are drawn. The album ends on a high note with arguably its best track, Jeans Jeans Jeans which builds for a minute before the vocals kick in and one of the albums most rousing choruses is delivered. Never has a song that discusses jeans and the holes that often appear in them due to youthful trials and tribulations rocked this hard. While not all tracks are essential listening (i.e. Future From The 80`s and Celebration) there is nothing that disrupts the album and in turn serves as an impediment to its overall effectiveness.
This is quite a different album from Parc Avenue and while not quite as rewarding they should definitely be commended for trying some new things and not resting on their laurels. The album may be different but Parc Avenue was markedly different from the Self titled effort as well and much more radically so at that. Vocalist Warren Spicer also appears much more comfortable vocally showing considerable progression for a guy that didn`t even sing on their initial self titled offering from 2003. Throughout the album it is obvious that much of their writing and the increased tempo were heavily informed by their touring whether that is naming a song after a Californian motel (Kon Tiki) or the increased tightness that has resulted from incessant touring or even the fact there are fewer nods to their home base of Montreal than Parc Avenue. It will be very interesting to see what path this trio chooses to take from here as this album again hints at a potential for a truly classic indie rock album that will possibly be realized at some point in the future.
Key Tracks:
Jeans Jeans Jeans
The Mama Papa
Tom Cruz
Undone Melody
Kon Tiki
