Bitte Orca

This is like the good side of millennial optimism.

Started as a totally average indie album and slowly but surely became intolerable with each passing track.

Dirty Projectors heeft een speciaal plekje in m'n hart, vooral het weirde anti-poppy self-titled album uit 2017. Ik waardeer dit soort bands die gewoon compleet in hun eigen genre lijken te leven. Bitte Orca is een beetje het 'gemiddelde' Dirty Projectors album, als we het over de range in verschillende sounds van de platen hebben. Niet zo ruw als sommige eerdere albums en niet zo poppy als de latere. Toch zijn sommige hooks hier enorm catchy. De laatste track is geweldig, zoals op praktisch elk album van de band.

This is one of those albums that makes me question this. "1001 albums to listen to before you die," right? This is not essential to that experience. Was this pay to play? Why? How did this get here? Why? What? No. There' so many missing on here that I would argue to be essential. This is a waste of time and my little hairs in my ears are annoyed being moved by this noise.

well-produced but mostly uninteresting and weakly sung quirky (tm) pop (tm). perhaps takes a little too directly from its various inspirations.

All my fellow 2k13 players did a lil bop when track 4 came on, instantly took me back to the good ol days! Music is really powerful that way. As for the album as a whole, I will never EVER listen to this shit again but it wasn’t totally awful!

I must have completely missed Dirty Projectors when *Bitte Orca* came out in 2009. I don't know much about the band, so I had absolutely no idea what to expect from today's listen. What a pleasant surprise this turned out to be. I really enjoyed this album. It's fun, inventive and full of interesting ideas, with so much going on musically. There's a real experimental feel to the record, with different sounds and styles constantly appearing, but somehow it all comes together brilliantly. One of the things I particularly enjoyed was the vocal arrangements. The layering of the backing vocals is fantastic, and the contrast between the different singers works really well. The production is excellent too, with so many little details to pick up on. There's always something happening to keep you interested, and I found myself really engaged throughout. What I like most is that despite being quite experimental, the album is still very accessible and enjoyable. The songs have some lovely melodies, and the variety keeps everything fresh. It's certainly different from a lot of the music I normally listen to, but in a really good way. This is exactly the sort of discovery I love making through this challenge. An album I'd completely missed that turns out to be a really enjoyable listen. I'll definitely be coming back to this one. Favourite tracks: "Remade Horizon", "Fluorescent Half Dome" and "Two Doves". Three great songs that really show off the variety and creativity on this album. Least favourite track: Nothing particularly weak. Everything is worth a listen, and I enjoyed the album from start to finish. Album artwork: Cool album cover. I like it.

Fine. Must hear before I die. Nah. But find.

Personal Rating: ★★☆☆☆ Recommend to Listen: ★⯪☆☆☆ Favorite Song: Stillness Is the Move Honorable Mention(s): Useful Chamber Album Notes: I don’t exactly know who this type of record is for. It doesn’t really have a great groove on any song, everything is weird and choppy with sheets of sound that are, clearly thoughtfully placed but do not click in just about any circumstance. It honestly felt closer to experimenting with some new ideas than it did being a “break out record”. I like to hear new and fresh ideas, but this fell really flat. The indie/alternative moaning/singing/whining style is also really grating and gets frustrating to hear after a few songs. Would not recommend

Personal Rating: ★⯪☆☆☆ Recommend to Listen: ★☆☆☆☆ Favorite Song: Fluorescent Half Dome Honorable Mention(s): Stillness Is the Move Album Notes: Just from the title, I knew what I was in for here. This album is exactly what I would describe Millennial Optimism as. It so perfectly fits into that era. I can see it being great for its time, but all it was for me was a test of my sanity. Fluorescent Half Home was halfway decent and could be good if they removed all the background ahhhs. No offense to Dirty Projectors, but I was so glad when this was over.

Чрезмерно эклектичный и раздробленный инди-рок, в котором постоянная смена музыкальных идей мешает сформировать цельное впечатление. Экспериментальность быстро утомляет, а мелодии не оставляют следа.

Surprisingly versatile.

Interesting album. It is rock, but different, fresh, full of ideas. Good choice for this list.

2,2 Highlights: The Bride, Two Doves

Disco interessante. As partes elétricas são melhores do que as acústicas.

What it lacks in consistency, it makes up for in fun and energy. Likes: Cannibal Resource; Stillness is the Move; No Intention

En 2009, quand Bitte Orca a déboulé, tout le monde semblait avoir trouvé le nouveau Graal d’un genre hybride, l’incarnation ultime du génie new-yorkais intello capable de réconcilier les amphis de musicologie et le dancefloor arty de Brooklyn. Bon ok, je veux bien reconnaître 5 minutes l’audace, et je veux bien admettre le culot de vouloir tricoter du R&B contemporain avec des polyphonies pygmées et des arpèges néo-classiques décharnés, mais à un moment, il faut savoir poser les écouteurs et regarder la vérité en face. Car, le résultat est un bordel sans nom, un immense foutoir, Bitte Orca c’est le prototype même de l’album d’école où tout est millimétré, où chaque contretemps est un piège à con, et pourtant, malgré la meilleure volonté du monde, le verdict est sans appel, je n’ai tout simplement pas réussi à m’immerger dans leur délire bizarroïde. Pour comprendre l’engouement aveugle qui a entouré cette sortie, il faut retourner à la fin des années 2000. A l'époque, les Dirty Projectors sont arrivés avec la prétention de vouloir démolir les formes convenues du format pop pour les reconstruire à la truelle et au marteau-piqueur. Et pour y arriver, Dave Longstreth s’est entouré d’un chœur féminin, mené par Amber Coffman et Angel Deradoorian. Les voix s’entrecroisent, gloussent, montent dans les aigus, ricochent sur des guitares anguleuses et des batteries sèches comme des coups de trique. C’est brillant sur le plan formel, personne ne niera la virtuosité technique de l’affaire, mais bon dieu que c’est fatiguant. Dès l’ouverture avec « Cannibal Resource », on se prend de plein fouet cette avalanche de « hockets » vocaux – ces hoquets syncopés où chaque chanteur balance une syllabe à tour de rôle. C’est malin et ça surprend pendant quarante secondes. Dave Longstreth pousse des miaulements geignards, ses complices féminines rivalisent de virtuosité stridente, et l’on se demande où ils veulent en venir. La rythmique boîte, les accords de guitare sonnent comme des bris de verre jetés sur un trottoir, et le tout s’agite dans une hystérie collective. Pourtant au milieu de tout ce bordel organisé, il y a quelques morceaux qui sortent de l'eau avec éclat et qui parviennent miraculeusement à faire plier l’expérimentation sous le poids de la grâce pop. Prenez « Stillness Is The Move » : c’est incontestablement le joyau du disque, le moment de bascule où toute cette gymnastique prend enfin un sens organique. Amber Coffman prend le micro, balance une ligne de chant R&B digne de Mariah Carey ou d’Aaliyah, pendant qu’une guitare d’inspiration ouest-africaine trace une arabesque limpide et entêtante. Là, le mélange fonctionne à merveille car c’est vibrant, c’est charnel, c’est incroyablement moderne sans être prétentieux. On se surprend à dodeliner de la tête, captivé par cette hybridation improbable mais furieusement réussie. Même constat salvateur sur un titre comme « Useful Chamber », qui étire ses dynamiques avec une tension dramatique palpable, passant de murmures faussement calmes à des explosions de cordes et de distorsion qui secouent véritablement les tripes. Il y a aussi ce charme lunaire et dépouillé sur « Two Doves », porté par la pureté de Deradoorian dans un écrin de cordes d’une mélancolie presque pastorale. Quand la formation lâche la bride à la démonstration de force et accepte de laisser respirer ses mélodies, ils touchent à quelque chose d'authentique. Ce sont ces éclairs-là qui évitent le naufrage complet et qui nous rappellent que nous sommes face à des musiciens exceptionnels. Mais dès que Longstreth reprend le contrôle exclusif de la machinerie, le naturel revient au galop et l’ennui s’installe. Des pistes comme « Temecula Sunrise » ou « The Bride » illustrent parfaitement cette obsession de ne jamais laisser une ligne mélodique filer droit. Il faut absolument casser le rythme, décaler la croche, caler un vibrato criard ou une dissonance gratuite. À force de refuser le moindre réconfort harmonique, le disque devient une épreuve d’endurance. C’est froid, c’est cérébral jusqu’à l’absurde, et ça finit par lasser profondément. On ne peut pas aimer tous les disques cultes, et ce n’est pas parce qu’un travail s’avère complexe qu’il doit automatiquement être sanctifié. Bitte Orca possède sans conteste des fulgurances indéniables, des idées de production novatrices et deux ou trois cartouches formidables qui tirent leur épingle du jeu et justifient qu’on y jette une oreille attentive. Mais pour le reste, ce théâtre d’avant-garde baroque me laisse sur le bas-côté de la route, complètement hermétique à cette agitation perpétuelle.

If The National and LCD Soundsystem are There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men, Dirty Projectors are Under The Skin. One of those records I come back to every six months or so and find something new to love.

This is exactly the pretentious indie scheiBe that I need in my life. I had heard of the Dirty Projectors before, but never listened. It's a bit like the Animal Collective, with the similar interesting time signatures. But less weird and intense. I'm so glad I have listened to it now. This was absolutely phenomenal. Engaging, interesting, beautiful. I for one, did enjoy the singing. I did enjoy the cohesive production, sounds and total originality of this. (But then again, I am a Millennial)

There's some interesting ideas here but it also feels like a not-as-good Vampire Weekend.

This is a tough one. It's very late 2000s NYC indie in a way, and then it throws a curve ball now and then. Definitely one of those albums where I wonder why it's on the list. A curiosity but not an intriguing one.

Not quite sure what to do with this one. It has its moments but its alot of low for me. The words I would use to describe this is plucky and sparce. There isnt a ton going on at once. Its pretty simple but there are moments with each part in the mix. Sometimes the guitar comes in and does a thing then its gone and replaced woth a violin or something. Im not too happy about that decision. If you have all these ideas how can you not mix them in a cohesive way? I dont know. Its just not that much for me. I will give the singer some props but not that impressive either. It has alot of the annoying ive seen in other 2010s alt indie stuff. Im just not that into this. I was debating between a low 3 or a 2 and after putting some words to type I think I have to give it the 2. Its just not for me. I can see lots of people being way into it but im not in that camp. And thats ok. Im sure they did well for themselves over the coming years. And they have a top 1000 album to boot. Just doesnt make my list thats for sure

Like beautiful madness. One moment beautiful the next moment crazy! Overall was a fun listen.

This album was huuuuuge for my college experience. Nice to revisit the vibes with the millenial optimism aura of the bluenami week. The Solange cover of "Stillness is the Move" is a key part of the experience.

Some super catchy parts of these songs with some absolutely mediocre and downright dull parts in between

yeesh. 2/5.

2009 - Alternative

Average record. A little chaotic and lacking direction. Not sure how this made it to 1001.

reminds me a lot of alaskalaska

Quite solid. I liked it.

Amazing

I really enjoyed the experimental sounds/aspects of this album. It shouldn't work, but it does. I love how the back-up vocals are laid in, and there's just a lot of aspects that kept me engaged. Rating: 8/10 (Great) Favorite Song: Cannibal Resource

Cannibal resource - 2 Temecula sunrise - 2 The bride - 3 Stillness is the move - 3 Two doves - 4 Useful chamber - 2 No intention - 3 Remade horizon - 2 Fluorescent half dome - 2

This is a good alternative album, "Cannibal Resource" is really good.

Well- we’ve been on a particularly bad train of music lately. Running out of ways to say not very good. When you keep looking to see how many tracks are left you know you are in trouble.

Lyrically I enjoyed this album very much. Musically it sounded like layered noise and I just couldn’t get into it.

Rock, Folk, 2009 -> 2

Well, judging by the reviews of others, this is not a beloved album by many. I personally dug this album when it came out - the complexity was so refreshing at a time when groups like the Black Eyed Peas were ruling the charts (no shade) - and I'm so happy to revisit it now. The sound of Bitte Orca, to me at least, is a natural outgrowth of Talking Heads, Bowie, maybe Beck...? But it's really its own thing, and again, to me, the album is a bit more accessible than maybe Animal Collective or other prog-style bands of the time. That said, it fits right in with early St. Vincent, TuNeYaRdS, Grizzly Bear, and other indie acts of this era. My ears love the close harmonies and the varied sonic palette created on this album - the Moog-like (maybe it is a Moog) figures over the pulse at the beginning of Useful Chamber is really cool - and the unfolding sonic texture of that track just continues to reward those brave enough to dive in. Ultimately, that's what this album is about to me - I don't pay much attention to the lyrics - there are no clear melodies to hum along with - but the textures and sound combinations are uncommon, surprising, novel, and distinctly Dirty Projectors. The production is great too - leaving room for each moment to stand out and allowing the listening to focus on specific elements at will. This is not for undeveloped ears - like, if you don't like spicy foods, don't order your Thai takeout at "authentic" heat levels, you know? 4 stars.

Genuinely not entirely sure what I’ve just listened to.

so indie so williamsburg

It’s messy but somehow it works

I was obsessed with Cannibal Resource growing up.

NOPE!

I was initially excited, mistakenly thinking this was the New Pornographers. The guitar sounds on No Intention are fantastic. I'm glad Stillness is the Move received the recognition it did. The rest of it wasn't for me: too cute/twee/another word I can't quite put my finger on by half. 2.5.

If I’m looking for something semi slow, this is good

I don't understand a single shit of this cacaphony of sound

A pretty underrated and lesser known indie record from the late 2000s. For whatever reason, Stillness is the Move, probably the most liked song for it, is a song I've heard a lot when I was younger. I even used to hum this song a lot without even knowing what it was. The rest of the album was fine, though.

Really cannot recall much of it even shortly after listening.

Bitteeeeeee

Pots and pans and pots and pans. Definitely deserves another listen though; I feel like some of this could grow on me a ton. Reminds me a bit of Blanket Forts

Wait I like this

this was certainly different….. but i still fucking hated it

Never heard of the band, but took one look at the album cover and went "oh, so is this going to be nasal guy indie rock or waifish woman indie rock?" And turns out, it was both! I'm fairly up on insure rock or so i thought, but I'm deeply unsure why this album is here - it seems to be just cookie cutter blandness, with nothing really going for it over other more well- known indie bands that didn't make the cut (Postal Service deserves this spot, no doubt). Did the author just buy this record and want to show it to others? Do the band members have a mate in the publishers? Why do i have to hear this before i die? It's just... so.... meh......

If I could destroy any full decade of music, rendering it permanently unplayable and unretrievable in any way, it would be the 2000s. I know there would be some collateral damage, but I still think it would be for the betterment of the world.

gostosinho, vei. gostei muito dos vocais e dos arranjos e pá. muito bom.

Vou ter que ouvir de novo depois. Às vezes horroroso, às vezes espetacular. Vou deixar a avaliação no meio do caminho, e retorno no futuro.

would've loved some metronome usage

This is probably a 3/5 if the guy didn't sing. "Two doves" is the best song, because he doesn't sing.

Heard before?:❌️ Will listen again?:❌️

Pretty cool art pop with a unique sound. 3.5 stars.

When I think of 2000s indie rock I think of the Dirty Projectors. It’s so unique but weirdly dated, and this is one of my favorite albums ever.

ok

Artsy crap.

Maybe this has a place but not on this list IMO

This was a bit of a mixed bag. Some enjoyable stuff and some songs that bordered on irritating. Mostly the songs with female vocals were fun, those with male vocals much less so. A 3 star album as it consisted of 4s and 2s.

My indie soul is into it.

Very rough start

2 mouais

Very curious and esoteric album. Definitely deserves a second listen.

Scheißendreck Hammerhead

Why do people make music like this

This was weird and not in a good way

I simply cannot listen to this

No idea what this is, but I expect it's some sort of sacrifice music. It's good that it's weird and the singer sounds like Jeff Buckley, but it's bad that the songs aren't any good and lack any hooks, melody, or emotion. I suppose it's interesting, but there's zero reason for it to be included on the list in a world which also features The Bangles, Opeth, Mastodon, Sia, The Gathering, Gemma Hayes, Lady Gaga, Gemma Hayes, Bryan Adams, Natalie Imbruglia, Blind Guardian, The Music, Backstreet Boys, Loreen, Gloria Estefan, The Shadows, Del Shannon, Nightwish, Machinehead, Rammstein, Thea Gilmore, Dio, X-Japan, Ayumi Hamasaki, Kylie Minogue, Roberto Carlos, The Music, The Delays, Shakira, Adriano Celentano, Nana Mouskouri, Chuck Berry, Whitney Houston, Shania Twain, Tool, Neil Diamond, Janis Ian, Celene Dion etc etc etc...

Fun record, pleasantly surprised 3.8/5

This is making me fall out of love with music. These people certainly don't like it. Hard to imagine how unentertaining one of their happenings in a Greenwich Village cellar would be.

It's ok. Pretty typical for late-oughts Indie music. I do not really like the dude's voice, but it's unique enough. I may have liked this a good bit back in my college days, but I've got less patience for it in my later years. Instrumentally it's got weird structure, but not altogether off-putting. They're thinking outside the box, which I can appreciate. The male singer reminds me a lot of a less-good and less-fitting Cold War Kids. He's my least favorite part of the album. I would listen to it again, I'm sure, but this album doesn't drive me to seek them out any further.

This album was so varied that I kept changing my mind on how much I was enjoying it, but I think that on the whole, I liked it. 3.5

People want to talk trash about industrial music being just a bunch of noises but in 2009 they were playing these loose accumulations of assorted sounds in coffee shops that charged you $6 for a latte (that was a more ridiculous price back then)

Annoying. No favourite track.

It doesn't get much more hipster than this experimental indie rock album. This record is all over the place stylistically, it doesn't really know what it wants to be and in return that doesn't really translate into a cohesive album. There were a couple interesting sections here and there, but most of the tracks were strange arrangements with affected vocals that I didn't enjoy. 2/5

Wasn't the best I've heard, but certainly not the worst. Seemed like it was just trying too hard. 3/5

I remember a review I made 262 days ago from the artist “hot chip” where said that this music is for music professors of the time being impressed that the kids are doing something novel and interesting. I fear this is the same but for rock. SO millennial core.

What millennial crap is this? Some pretentious crap that is an excuse for music. Sure, it is experimental, but I'm so sick of this kind of sound. It sounds like they have overdone themselves, like they really wanted to put everything into it, but it leaves it feeling like there is too much. Their vocals and harmonies don't help. Some days like this, I'm just like, why did I do this list?

7.5/10

This was pretty interesting. Most tracks sounded pretty good. Favourite Track(s): Cannibal Resource, Temecula Sunrise Least Favourite Track(s): The Pride, Fluorescent Half Dome

Started a little slow but really picks up from Stillness is the Move on

What a freaking banger. I loved this album when it came out, and I've loved it ever since. I remember when this came out it sounded like nothing I had ever heard before. Even the more conventional songs on the record have a really unique sound. This is really is a no skip album, I listened to it 3 times back to back today and never got sick of it. It all flows together so well too, every song is fits perfectly into the next. Its brilliant. This really was peak indie art rock. I kind of miss this level of pretentiousness in indie. I'm a fan of the post punk grunge inspired indie of today, but this moment when every artist was making really pretty and weird music was a really special time.

Fuck off.

Meandering. Borderline insufferable.

What the HELL

groan

Just not for me. This twee hipster late aughts alternative just doesn’t click for me.

Experimental but not too much. Ok listen but no standouts. 5/10

I don't know what this is, really, but it's interesting and strange.

MIKA från wish

Maar een paar nummers geluisterd, maar vond het eigenlijk net niets. Niet aan te raden. Gewoon te veel dat ik zou willen stellen: "all over the place." M.a.w. laten we dit gewoon achter liggen en nooit meer omkijken. Je zult echt niets missen als je dit gewoon de rug toekeert.

not sure how this album found its way to the list. it's bland unambitios vanilla pop with r'n'b smears all over it.

I like the experimental genres but this just doesn’t work for me. Especially the sound of the guy’s voice I don’t like and most of the compositions feel too random to me.

I quite like the staccato rhythm to this. It was an absolute critic’s fav when it came out, although not sure it has aged particularly well