Reviews (page 4 of 9)
What a weird album (not a bad thing). It's a type of alternative music that I really don't like, but it has so many wacky guitar moments that I've loved here. All in all, it's a boring album for me, but it has incredibly fun moments. 3/5
Sometimes I hear an album and think that I surely must have heard it before?! Not the most cohesive album sound, but a lot of fun and a bit of me 4
Meh. I didn’t hate it as much as others seemed to, but I can’t say I loved it either. 3* at best.
Impressive playing but sounds way too American for me.
Zu kompliziert für Unterhaltungsmusik.
Interesting. I think a unique sound/style overall. Was not greatly moved by it but parts ere intriguing.
Some of this was okay, but it was mostly pretentious and try hard.
2 stars It was giving me anxiety
While I didn't love this, at least it was different without being just obnoxious. It was somewhat poppy but also was quite different than just straight pop.
I discovered Dirty Projectors through the NPR Tiny Desk Concert series. They have a super unique sound, it doesn't always work, imo, but I thought it worked really well in Stillness is the Move.
Bad
whatever
Maybe a 2.5
Non traditional song structures.
Interesting for a listen, on the verge of something grander. Not my thing this time around, but musical quality is good. I feel singularly un-hooked.
Maybe 4
21st century synth indie. It's fine at what it is but not my thing.
Was looking for descriptions of Dirty Projectors, and fell on electro-Art Pop as my best combo. Enjoyed. STILLNESS IS THE MOVE and USEFUL CHAMBER were pretty frickin' sweet.
Such an awesome, inventive album that makes for great sing-a-longs
I had never heard of this group or album but it made for a really good work background soundtrack (complementary)
This album was really nice
• war nicht so mein vibe
Strange, random, sometimes a-melodic music. Once was enough.
They say they want something original but they can't even handle this album
I knew this was going to be insufferable from the very first "lyrics" on track 1. You could not make a more "hipster" album if you tried.
Reminded you of unknown mortal orchestra, specifically the song called "that life" La canción "the bride" tiene elementos de folklore muy interesantes Bastante variado, me agrada, feeling a decent 4
Mist! Mist! Mist!
It was okay. There’s a lot of eclectic sounds. Think I listened to about 70% of the album. Could finish it - but fancy the next album.
The very definition of annoying and obnoxious in sound format. Worst song I've ever listened is The Bride. Just wow. 1/5
Impressive prog rock, reminiscent of Yes and Bjork. Fascinating chords.
I guess this is art?
I don't really like it.
Trying too hard to be something new and interesting, failing miserably. Some okay moments, but overall I did not like this.
later
This was bad.
Non-offensive millennial indie pop. Not much to be said really. I‘d rather be listening to Grizzly Bear if I wanted my fix of this genre of music
Listened Before? N Sorta a unique sound here. Almost acapella in places. Lots of voices contributing. I liked this one. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Stillness Is The Move
Not my cup of tea. I won't yuck someone else's yum, but I don't go for lots of tempo & melody changes, falsetto, and generally this millennial indie vibe. It sounds pretentious to me.
I could smell the hipster on this from a mile away. 2.3.
A perfect combination of "pretentious" and "trying too hard." Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 2/5
The hipster in me is still alive.
Primera recomendación 25/10/25
Someone please explain it to me because I didn't get it at all...
A solid alt/indie/pop album. I have no idea why its taking up space on this list. Infinitely forgettable but not the worst I've heard. 3/5
Always associated this band with Animal Collective, who I don't like, and I see a lot of reviews here comparing the album to Captain Beefheart, who I also can't really get into. But I like this one, actually! It's pretty, I like the singers' voices, kinda reminds me a bit of like Linda Perhacs maybe?
I really don’t know how to rate this. Loved a lot, hated the rest. But I do appreciate the originality! This took some effort to come up with, do sure.
Groupe inconnu. Cet album est très original, et assez inclassable. Rien de standard dans les morceaux (harmonie, structure, choeurs), ce qui a attisé ma curiosité et m'a donné envie d'aller jusqu'au bout, et même de l'écouter une seconde fois. Par contre il est bien trop basé sur le chant, et l'accompagnement pseudo classique sur quelques morceaux me rebute un peu. Découverte originale donc, que j'écouterais probablement de nouveau et qui me donne envie de découvrir d'autres albums du groupe, mais qui ne rejoindra pas ma collection. =>3/5
Such a study in "how do we sound as annoying as possible and take the tune in a direction constantly that will make this as annoying as possible".
Oddly my opinion hasn't changed much in the decade+ since this came out: some amazing moments but too ornate most of the time.
This one wasn't for me. Gets a 2 because there was one song that was fine.
Ei ollut meikämarjatan musaa yhtään. Kuuntelin kuitenkin levyn läpi.
I was in college deep in the Pitchfork-verse when this came out and even then it didn't click with me. There are beautiful moments but holy shit are they trying SO hard you can hear it. 2/5
I came into this not knowing the score; it’s one of those albums that demands your attention with weirdness. Beautiful, jagged edges. The harmonies twist into shapes that shouldn't work. A great, complicated listen. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: Cannibal Resource Stillness Is The Move Two Doves No Intention
Not my thing. Sounds like a cult waiting to dring the kool aid at the end of the concert.
Expérimental rock violin????
I have a lot of memories of this one. This is very closely associated with smoking a joint on an empty college campus in the dog days of the summer when it came out. While it does fall off a bit towards the end, I think it’s a good album that has a bit of a nostalgia tinge for me.
A really good album, I liked Stillness Is The Move, Two Doves, Useful Chamber and Fluorescent Half Dome the most.
This really made me feel old in that it felt so early aughts and that that is an actual thing that can be identified now. That being said, the music was okay, but wasn't really into the vocals. "No Intention" was really the only song I enjoyed on here.
Cannibal ressource - this is very fun, like i just smile the whole time haha 4/5 (fav) Temecula sunrise - like the guitar in the beginning, the singing and instrumentals dont sound so good together i find, a jit better in the chorus 2/5 The bride -3/5 Stillness is the move - 3/5 Two doves - so soothing 4/5 (close 2nd fav) Useful chamber - liek the vibe, feels like multiple songs just out behind each other, bitte orca orca bitte🕺🕺 3,5/5 No intention - 3/5 Remade horizon - it gives dancing in the golden hour in the living room with a loved one and orange curtains filtering the sunlight 3,8/5 Fluorescent half dome - chill vibe but a bit too long for my liking 3/5 —->3/5
Can’t quite remember how I first came to listen to this album, but it’s been a firm favourite of mine since it was released. At the time, I hadn’t heard anything really like it. It had that ramshackle naughties sound but way more eccentric than the likes of Arcade Fire and even Animal Collective. It still sounds as fresh as hell. Even though I had listened to it only last week, I was still really happy to have a reason to listen to it again.
I like this and want to listen again.
Overall fairly standard Late 00s/ Early 10s Indie/Chamber Pop, the harmonized backing vocals are annoying but the guitar bits are nice. Nothing really stands out positively or that strongly negatively. I would rather just listen to Mac Demarco. This list continues to drop the ball in its 90s-10s Indie selections. 4/10.
• 2/5 • one good single (Stillness is the Move), but the rest is too art-rocky for my taste
Not my cup of tea, but well produced
Joanna Newsome with attitude. Precious, but with teeth.
This seems like something I would like, but I didn’t really get it. It’s unusual, but somehow also pretty bland. I was disappointed. Favorite: Two Doves 3?
The frontman said this album felt like colors interacting. That context helps. It's like they took every musical idea they had over the previous year, put it into a kaleidoscope and turned the tube. Shifting layers, sounds randomly coming and going, rarely any of it repeating. Thats cool, but it takes so much effort to track; you've really got to engage to keep up. Whole album at once was too much, like sitting next to someone who is very nice but talks too much.
Bitte nicht Orca. Why do I have an earworm of the song Remade Horizon...
Was not my jam. I listened through about half of it. Don't think it's great background listening. Nothing musical or lyrically or melodically kept my interest, aside from the "annoying" sections.
Not my taste. Not quite tonal and pleasingly harmonic enough for me.
Meh.
sounds a bit like arcade fire probably shouldnt be on the list, but i liked it
Ok so on one hand, the large contingency of british people on this website HATE this album. On the other hand, /r/Indieheads adores this album. I fall somewhere in the middle. It seems like it's really trying hard to be unique and weird, and it doesn't always work. It's not an unlistenable pile of crap, 1001. It's not amazing, reddit. 3/5
Creative, mystical, kinda off-kilter and sloppy but in a way that works for me. Two Doves in particular is beautiful. Impressive guitars and harmonies, sweet orchestral bits
Every song passes, but not a single one "sticks" or gets to me...
This is a difficult one to rate. At first I didn't like it and wondered if I'd get through the album. By the middle, it was okay, and then toward the end, not liking it again. I'd give it a 2.5 but not sure I could really bump it up to 3.
I can’t decide if it is genius or annoying. I have listened to it - or at least started - five times. I do t think I hate it. But then I forget I’m listening to it. I think it’s good.
A ratos me hizo pensar en una buena cueca, a ratos fue el In rainbows, un poco de tUnE-yArDs (aunque revisando su primer disco fue de este año también). Habría sido un 5 instantáneo si lo hubiera escuchado eñ 2015.
This one was fine. Didn't love it didn't hate it. I do think I liked the second half of the album better. 3 stars
'Bitte Orca' is very hard to describe, as there's a lot going on here. Indie Rock seems to be the best genre to describe this release by Dirty Projectors, but there's plenty of falsetto from vocalist and chief songwriter David Longstreth [enough to keep Radiohead or The Darkness fans happy], as well as warm, multilayered female vocals, fiddly guitar and electronic trickery to put this album beyond any solid genre. But is it an enjoyable collection of music? Eh...... While I admire the creativity and ideas put into 'Bitte Orca', the dissonant melodies, random tempo shifts and that 'hard to escape' feeing the group is rushing through the vocals before the music has caught up make this record a rather perplexing listen. Now, if the purpose of the album was to create a unique listening experience that stands out on the basis of its individuality, then it definitely passed the test. But for me, the ideas seem like they're benched before they're given enough space to grow, so its really difficult [for me anyway] to truly appreciate this album. I do like weird, unusual stuff [Mr. Bungle, Primus, Kraftwerk etc.], but there's a consistency in those bands that I struggle to find with Dirty Projectors. It's like I'm hearing a strange, disjointed compilation album from four or five different groups. While I appreciate the daring approach to the album, it just doesn't do it for me. Not one song really grabbed me. 2/5
I think this would've been my jam in my twenties. A bit too all over the place for me now.
This one of those odd albums that it's hard to tell if I love it or not. Actually, no, I do love this. It's super odd, but actually really quite good. It's so unique that it's impossible to try and compare to anything. It's more worried about creating an interesting sound scape than about being good music, but it still ends up being a good listen. I don't think this is an album for everyone. Nor do I really think that this is a great album. I think it's pretty standard, in that, the first few songs are really very good, but the quality of the album drops off slowly until the last couple songs are pretty unremarkable. But those first couple of songs, "Temecula Sunrise" in particular, are so good that they make the album as a whole very worth listening to. I wish that the whole album wouldn't have dropped off as much as it did. If that was the case, this could have ended up as one of my favorite albums that I hadn't heard of before going into this. Favorite Song(s): Cannibal Resource, Temecula Sunrise
Dette høres ut som et sånt "intellektuelt" indie album jeg burde definere identiteten min rundt, men for å være ærlig, synes jeg det er litt slitsomt. Det er absolutt aspekter ved det jeg liker, men det føles litt som om de tar de verste innfallene til tidlig Animal Collective og setter det sammen med formål om å lage færrest mulig hooks. Bro, AnCo lagde masse hooks! Er dere for bra hooksa til AnCo? synes de hadde for lite freak folk neo-psych experimental noodling? at de solgte ut med Strawberry Jam? Vel, jeg er ikke enig.
Friskt album som tidvis edget meg
Her var det en god blanding av mye fantastisk, som samler seg til en enhet uten å kun være plukk fra diverse steder. Her hører man Lindsey Buckinghams kaotiske og gnistrende produksjon fra Tusk. Her er Peter Gabriels Genesis, litt Sondre Lerche og selvfølgelig Brian Wilson og Animal Collective. Dette er kompromissløst og tøft, og selv med alle de åpenbare koblingene klarer albumet å finne sin helt egen sound. Digger!
very low 2
I liked much of this. Nothing mind blowing, but interesting and quirky. Good clean family fun. 3.4
I found the front half of the album somewhat weak, but things started improving with "Stillness Is the Move." By the end I was left thinking that this was a decent album, but unfortunately not one I am likely to seek out often.
Short review I guess. It's a strong 3.
Never heard of Dirty Projectors, but it blew my mind. Finding an album like this is the reason, why I joined this club. Fav: Remade Horizon
This was actually dogwater. Holy. An astoundingly awful album. This being on a list of Top 1001 Albums You Should Listen To Before You Die is such a trolljob. I refuse to believe anyone actually enjoys this. An unbearable cacophony of noise. A caterwaul of random effects. Nothing is in time, hardly anything is in key. Every instrument and vocal is constantly in conflict with each other. This sucks. It's a goddamn pretentiousness, obnoxious, theatre-kid piece of crap coming from millennials who obviously were never told "no" as children. This is the direct product of gentle parenting. I actually hate this album. Life's too short for this garbage. This is disgusting. Every single musical decision made in this album's runtime is offensive. The fact that a producer/engineer listened to this constant overstimulation of random rhythms, keys, and vocals and OK'd it for public consumption was the day that humans as a species have gone too far.
Extremely vivid flashback to being a sophomore in college. I thought I liked this album but halfway through I remembered I only really like Stillness Is The Move and how the guy says “bitte orca orca bitte.”
I feel like I should have found this one more interesting. But it really didn’t catch me. Fine as a listen but wasn’t intrigued for more.
It's too much waily woop crap
One good song and some interesting ideas.
This is such a delightful little indie pop gem of an album. Love the off-kilter but charming pop across it all, especially opener Cannibal Resource with it's bubbly backing vocals and angular guitars, followed by Temecula Sunrise's ebb and flow tempo. I can see how some might find it jarring and messy, but I promise it works. If you found this enjoyable as an indie pop album but couldn't connect to the album as a whole, I recommend checking out Ra Ra Riot's album The Orchard! What a lovely 40 minutes that turned into hours with all the repeat listens!
Hadn’t heard of this band or this album before. Was better than I thought it might be, but still a little forgettable.
Pretty good album with a nice variety of voicing.
Painfully bad.
Cover 5 Generally not a fan of experimental groups (Beefheart, Tom Waits, Yoko Ono). I do very much like those that have a semblance of musicianship and understanding of a good beat (Primus). I might not be verbalizing exactly what I mean, though. Anyway, this album leans toward Primus, though they sound nothing like Primus. In other words, they at least restrain themselves from going completely off the edge. Unlike Primus, I'm not interested enough to look into their discography.
*2009. American indie. *Did not like this very much. *Sounds like something from Garden State, but not good. *Boring indie with too high pitched voices. RATING - 5/10
So many crazy good sounds and songs. Feels more modern than 2009. I feel like im a victim to modern ears but man this was fire. Begging to be sampled. Chatgpt was very wrong on the subject matter of temecula. FOUR
No private session used for spotify. Hated it, too electronic, too many random noises, too much whining in the background, too many tempo changes and all around annoying. Math and music have a lot in common, so here is a mathematical term to describe the album: disjoint.
Funsies
Not sure what's supposed to be so special about this lol
Irritating vocals sung in an atonal and arrhythmic style offset some otherwise promising tracks here. I guess I’m not artistic enough to enjoy this.
They have a nice sound, but the falsetto and the mandolin (?) phrasing gets old after a while.
Meh.
# In-Depth Review of Dirty Projectors' *Bitte Orca* ## 🎵 Overview *Bitte Orca* is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Dirty Projectors, released on June 9, 2009, by Domino Records. The album title combines the German word "bitte" (please) and "orca" (killer whale), chosen for its phonetic appeal rather than literal meaning . Led by frontman David Longstreth, the album represents a creative peak for the band, blending avant-garde experimentation with accessible pop sensibilities. It received widespread critical acclaim and remains a landmark release in indie music. --- ## 📝 Lyrics The lyrics on *Bitte Orca* are abstract, intellectually dense, and often enigmatic. Longstreth's songwriting explores themes of existentialism, human connection, and the interplay between nature and technology. For example: - **"Stillness Is the Move"** ponders philosophical questions like *"Where did time begin? Where does space end?"* , reflecting on the nature of existence. - **"Cannibal Resource"** uses surreal imagery (*"Look around at everyone, everyone looks alive and waiting"*) to critique consumerism or societal expectations . - **"Useful Chamber"** features the mantra-like repetition of *"Bitte Orca, Orca Bitte,"* which Longstreth has described as a plea or invocation, though its meaning remains open to interpretation . While the lyrics are often criticized for being overly cerebral or emotionally distant, they complement the album's experimental nature by encouraging listeners to find their own meanings . --- ## 🎶 Music The music on *Bitte Orca* is a genre-defying fusion of art-rock, Afrobeat, R&B, and classical influences. Key musical elements include: - **Vocal Harmonies**: Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian's vocal performances are central to the album's sound. Their harmonies are intricate, often weaving around each other in complex patterns, as heard in **"Remade Horizon"** and **"Stillness Is the Move"** . - **Guitar Work**: Longstreth's guitar playing draws from African tunings and math rock, characterized by fingerpicked melodies and sudden shifts in rhythm (**"Temecula Sunrise"**) . - **Rhythm and Percussion**: The album features unconventional time signatures and percussive textures, though some critics note that the percussion lacks innovation compared to other elements . - **String Arrangements**: Songs like **"Two Doves"** incorporate string quartets, adding a baroque elegance to the album . Tracks like **"Useful Chamber"** showcase the band's ability to merge these elements into a cohesive yet unpredictable whole, transitioning from woozy synths to explosive crescendos . --- ## 🎛️ Production Produced by David Longstreth, the album's production is clean, precise, and hi-fi, often compared to Steely Dan's meticulous studio craftsmanship . Key features include: - **Layering**: Each track is densely layered with vocal harmonies, guitars, synths, and strings, creating a rich tapestry of sound . - **Dynamic Range**: Songs like **"Useful Chamber"** build tension through dynamic shifts, from quiet verses to chaotic climaxes . - **Clarity**: Despite its complexity, the production ensures that each instrument and vocal line remains distinct, allowing listeners to appreciate the album's intricate arrangements . The production strikes a balance between accessibility and experimentation, making the album's challenging moments feel intentional and polished . --- ## 🧠 Themes *Bitte Orca* explores several overarching themes: 1. **Duality**: The interplay between opposites—organic vs. synthetic, chaos vs. order—is reflected in the album's title and musical contrasts . 2. **Human Connection**: Songs like **"Two Doves"** and **"Stillness Is the Move"** touch on relationships and emotional vulnerability . 3. **Creativity and Innovation**: Longstreth has described the album as an "homage" to his bandmates, highlighting their individual talents while creating a unified sound . The album's abstract lyrics and genre-blending music reinforce these themes, inviting listeners to engage with its ideas on multiple levels . --- ## 📈 Influence *Bitte Orca* has had a significant impact on indie and experimental music: - It inspired artists like Solange and tUnE-yArDs, who incorporated its vocal and rhythmic innovations into their work . - The album helped define the "Brooklyn art-rock" scene of the late 2000s, alongside releases by Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear . - Its fusion of R&B and art-pop (**"Stillness Is the Move"**) paved the way for later genre-blending experiments by artists like FKA twigs and Moses Sumney . Despite its niche appeal, *Bitte Orca* remains a touchstone for musicians seeking to balance experimentation with melodic accessibility . ## ✅ Pros and Cons ### Pros: 1. **Innovative Sound**: The album's genre-blending approach feels fresh and unpredictable, combining African rhythms, R&B, and classical elements . 2. **Vocal Performances**: Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian's harmonies are technically impressive and emotionally captivating . 3. **Production Quality**: The clean, detailed production enhances the album's complexity without overwhelming the listener . 4. **Thematic Depth**: The lyrics and music explore abstract ideas while remaining engaging . ### Cons: 1. **Lyrical Obscurity**: Some listeners may find the lyrics overly intellectual or emotionally distant . 2. **Vocal Divisiveness**: Longstreth's voice—often compared to David Byrne or Antony Hegarty—can be polarizing . 3. **Inconsistent Accessibility**: Tracks like **"Fluorescent Half Dome"** may feel less cohesive compared to standout songs like **"Stillness Is the Move"** . ## 🏁 Conclusion *Bitte Orca* is a groundbreaking album that rewards repeated listens. Its strengths—innovative songwriting, stunning vocal arrangements, and meticulous production—far outweigh its minor flaws. While not every moment lands perfectly, the album's ambition and creativity make it a essential listen for fans of experimental music. It remains Dirty Projectors' most influential and acclaimed work, a testament to David Longstreth's vision and the band's collective talent .
Temecula Sunrise // Stillness Is The Move // Two Doves //
Excellent album, varied with interest, a winner.
It was definitely different! But a bit odd.
Disappointing. For some reason I was expecting electro pop not light weight /arty/musings. Found his vocals particularly annoying but the tracks with the two ladies better - the pick being Two Doves which appears to rip lines from Nico's These Days - but mash it into a much weaker song.
Bitte Orca This really takes me back to circa 2009, a guy I worked with loved this album and was always putting it on in the office. I wasn’t massively into it back then but it’s definitely a bit more interesting than I recall, even if I’m still not totally into it. It very much feels like late 00s indie, a bit of Vampire Weekend, a bit of Bloc Party, a touch of math rock and experimental guitar-noise squiggles, which is not my favourite type of music, and despite some good stuff it is a bit patchy, not all of it working, Fluorescent Half Dome being the least successful probably. Cannibal Resource is a good opener though, and Temecula Sunrise takes a western sounding intro and makes it into a pleasantly wonky bit of indie. I really like Stillness is the Move, the female vocals work a bit better than the male vocals, the guitar line is nice, as is the bass and No Intention is good too, a similar type of track with the guitar and bass doing the same sort of thing as Stillness is the Move. And Remade the Horizon is decent, particularly the outro section. I’ll go 3, I’d listen again, even if it isn't that satisfying overall. 🐋🐋🐋 Playlist submission: Stillness is the Move
You know that trend in restaurants a while back where you could get a deconstructed apple pie or similar. And they just gave you the apple and the pastry but hadn't bothered to put it all together properly. This is the musical equivalent of that. That sounds negative, but the apple pie was still enjoyable wasn't it, and undoubtedly there was mastery behind its making. Take 'Temecula Sunrise' in particular - you can hear all the building blocks, and it's quite fascinating. Some of the blocks remind me of Talking Heads, the jaunty rhythms and the angular guitar. Then there's the Kate Bush female vocals which punctuate everything with airtight harmonies. Those intricate 'Hounds of Love' type harmonies are critical to the sound, such as on the mesmerising 'Useful Chamber'. They have a very idiosyncratic sound - quite minimalist, slightly overdriven guitars. Although I could see such an album being the go to for Nathan Barleys everywhere, I find it really rather soothing rather than pretentious. A knack for melody weaves through, even if they don't all take off. There's a creativity here that tips this to a four.
Reminds me a bit of Field Music: similar math-rock-adjacent playing?
I kept tuning it out while I was listening, so it must not have been annoying. Pleasant and melodic.
Trying too hard to be original, it ends up being both bland and undigestible. 2/10
No luce que esté mal... pero es un poco repetitivo ??? y un poco aburrido como que no me está aportando algo nuevo o divertido por el momento (llevo dos canciones) Its giving aprobado raspado quizás... o un 4 de 10 nose Me he aburrido ya... luce perdida de tiempo total
I'm not sure wahht to make of this quirky, slightly prententious, Art Pop album that reminds me of Robert Fripp. Is it bad - no, but should it be in this list - probably not.
Bitte Orca, for all its stupidity and annoying vocals, does belong on this list. For a moment, it perfectly encapsulated an entire scene. For some, this album was sacred. I recall hearing Stillness is the Move for the first time (separately from the album as a whole). The song was so perfectly descriptive of the sound everyone was going for, it actually brought tears to my eyes. When hearing it later, followed by Two Doves, the pair of songs were (and still feel) like excellent compliments of each other. However, barring select musical moments, interesting instances in an otherwise tiresome forty minute jumble, those two songs are pretty much all that remains worthwhile to revisit here.
Kinda pretentious, but I liked this. In my Goldilocks zone of weird but not too weird. Listened before: no Will listen again: probably
It's a weird album for sure, but I quite enjoyed it. The guitar playing is quite random and erratic and reminds me of Captain Beefheart at times. The playing and singing is all quite varied and the album doesn't wear out its welcome. There's intricacies and interesting tempo changes all throughout here. Not really my music but I enjoyed it.
This what imagine trout mask replica sounded would've sounded like if the band was being tortured. And that somehow makes it worse?? It has its moments but its overall a bit annoying to listen to
Felt like the music version of "modern art"
Not for me. 1/5
Vocals and guitar are jarring
Enjoyable album. This is the reason why I wanted to do this project- to discover stuff like this!
Perfect for my Friday train ride
Pretty good. The singing is very unique to hear although it sounds rather simple and I quite like that quality. The lyrics are good and the backing for the tracks are both peaceful and enjoyable. Unfortunately no one element stands out particularly well.
It started off okay. Then, I started to lose interest.
There's elements within this album that I like, but I really didn't enjoy how they all came together.
I liked this more than I thought I would, and evidently more than a lot of people do. Granted, the millennial experimentalism eventually kind of wore me down. But also, it’s very neat, and there are some beautiful tracks here. Happy to have listened to it. Fave songs: - Cannibal Resource - Temecula Surprise - The Bride - Two Doves - Remade Horizon
Would rather listen to Neil Young and I won't listen to Neil Young.
Difficult to listen to.
Nmcot
raar album met rare stemmetjes en rare tempo wisselingen... maar toch ergens niet zo goed als andere rare albums
Аритмичная и артистичная индюха с ловкой и едва уловимой мелодикой, благодаря которой прослушивание альбома превращается в увлекательный поиск сокровищ, закрытых за массой амбициозных решений. Гитарные отъёбы в стиле Лед Цеппелин особенно оценил.
I've heard of this band but I don't believe I have listened to a track of theirs. Definitely reminds me of all the music that was being released in the early 2010s. I can see why this album would fall in this list. 3-stars for me though.
They’re calling it the most millennial-coded album of all time
A bit all over the place. Didn't work for me. The male vocalist is annoying as hell. I don't think they knew what to be as they jumped genres faster than a hurdler. Pass.
Hm. This might be a long 41 minutes. Maybe a 2 for the first song with a lot of goodwill. My guess is it’s going to be a 1. Yep. A 1. Hate it
Unique music, vocalization, harmonies...All in all, a great album that warrants its appreciation. I was impressed with every song, but especially Stillness Is The Move. Every song was great not just good. Stillness was exceptional on an exceptional album.
Ein wenig verwirrende Klangkompositionen in Mischung aus Beat, Lounge und Ounk.
This wasn't too bad, but the man has an irritating voice
Meh, nogal vervelend om naar te luisteren. Soms lijkt het alsof ze ritme haten en klinkt het gewoon warrig. Wannabe Bjork 1.7
Tuneyards meets Neco. It was ok. 2.5 if there was a .5
Fun in a quirky way, but not sure I would relisten.
3.5
frekar random plata, ekkert sérstaklega hrifinn af henni
Creative, pretty, and chaotic. Some of the intentional off-beat loops can get uncomfortable before resolving into a melodic pay-off.. on some tracks though, it can be so frequent that it demands too much attention and patience of the listener (e.g. Temecula Sunrise, the opening of Useful Chamber, Remade Horizon). Still, when the record was released -- during the height of Pitchfork-era indie quirk -- it stood out as a bold experiment. The result was a fun and melodic indie-jazz album that remains worth appreciating. Also what makes the record so strong and worth coming back to are the near-R&B hit Stillness Is The Move and beautiful Two Doves.
ugh what have you done to my ears?
This sounds so painfully 2009 with too much going on.
This sounds very 00s to me. You can hear the influence of "freak folk" and electro-acoustic acts like The Books, Caribou and Four Tet.
First time I heard them. An OK album.
6/10 Favorite: Stillness Is The Move
Pretty good
Bitte Orca – Dirty Projectors (2009) | Experimental Pop / Indie Rock | Avg: 7.06 | Favorite Song: “Stillness Is the Move”* Bitte Orca is one of those albums that feels like it’s constantly shifting under your feet; it's inventive, intricate, and occasionally polarizing. “Stillness Is the Move” stands tall as the crown jewel, where the band’s off-kilter rhythms and vocal layering suddenly snap into something deeply catchy and emotionally resonant. Your scores show a solid appreciation across the board, with most tracks falling in the mid-6 to 8 range, suggesting that while not every experiment lands, the record succeeds more often than it stumbles. There’s a cerebral quality to this album, and at times it does ask for a bit of patience. Tracks like “Temecula Sunrise” and “No Intention” show how the band balances complexity with bursts of groove and melody. But it’s also easy to see how the slightly lower scores reflect moments where the eccentricity overshadows accessibility. Still, the album’s ambition is part of its charm. Bitte Orca doesn’t aim to please everyone; it aims to push boundaries, and in doing so, it creates some stunning highs and a genuinely original sonic world.
It’s pretentious hipster music but it’s pretty cool nonetheless. The vocals get a little grating at times but the instrumental work really ties it as a must listen album.
Fav: Two Doves Least Fav: The Bride Wtf was this, complete nonsense that every now and then had some cool parts that I could appreciate
I was listening to a podcast episode a couple weeks ago that began with a story about the host's experience at a performance by Bjork and Bitte Orca at Housing Works Bookstore in New York. (The story was hilarious, highly recommend. 60 Songs That Explain the 90's: The 2000's, episode "A-Punk" - Vampire Weekend.) I thought if Bjork loves them, I will too! Wrong. If I feel like crawling out of my skin for every single song, it's 1 star. I can't be bothered to justify any further. I never want to hear this again.
I’m all for creativity, new sounds, and experimenting… But this was just bad Maybe I don’t get it? To be fair, I haven’t listened to alternative music much, but the majority of this album sounds like it was produced by a kid who downloaded GarageBand for the first time and started mashing instruments together I want to give credit to the clear stand out track, Two Doves, which featured strong vocals and a nice change of pace from the rest of the album Now I never want to be too harsh on an song and/or album because art is very subjective (my comment about the production is my dumb attempt at humor so please don’t take it seriously) and what someone may think is bad, someone else might think is awesome, but I just didn’t have a good time listening through Bitte Orca If you listened to this and enjoyed it, that’s awesome Like I said, maybe I just don’t understand it That’s why I’m doing this in the first place; to branch out and grow my taste Favorites: None Honorable Mentions: Two Doves
ned s ganze glost, has ned so gfühlt
súper mid con algunas secciones más entretenidas y supongo que profundas. no me causó nada. nota: 3/5
I’d usually grunt at the genre of math rock, as it seems to just be prog trying too hard to be cool. However, I did find myself becoming hypnotised by the interesting melodies dancing around the bizarre time signatures. The gentle vocals add an extra dynamic that fits together nicely too. I expected this to sound like turd, but it was actually quite pretty.
Not for me
Super fun album. Had me dancing around the apt. Stoked to dig deeper into DP’s catalog
+1 star for spousal bias
Some goods songs, Not for me personally
That was okay, good sound tho
Interesting
Shoutout NBA 2k13 for "Stillness is the Move" fine other than that 2.5
Haunting and thought-provoking this album sounded a tad more dated than I would have expected having listened to it a lot when it first came out. It was a great end of a trilogy though with my last 3 days being Leondard Cohen's "You Want it Darker" and Public Enemy's "The Enemy Strikes Black."
This is just not for me. Something about it just makes me angry and I don’t know why
"Experimental rock" is apparently code for a bunch of aimless noodling and mismatched, dysrhythmic parts shoved together. I really try to look for some musical value in everything I listen to, but I couldn't find any here. This is just disjointed noise.
Это сложная музыка, за которую сложно зацепиться, и если бы не конфирмэйшн питчфорка, что это Музыка, я бы скорее всего никогда даже и не пытался ухватиться за песни здесь. Но вместе с тем, я рад, что таки распробовал. Лучшая песня - Useful Chamber.
Different, kind of catchy. Might need a second listen
I didn't hate it.
Tykkäsin itseasiassa aika paljon vaikken osaa oikeen selittää ees miks.
Girls singing was fairly nice. I didn’t need the man.
I think this is what “WtF?!” was made for…but in a good way…I think…mostly. Perhaps I’m the twee hipster who falls for this particular type of shit, but I liked this in that way that you like it when a stranger (perhaps a person living with dementia) tells you you’re good looking or that they like your shirt, it looks good on you, that way that makes you go “Huh, weird” , but that pushes a dopamine button on your chemical control panel, and so imprinting a positive feeling memory in your hippocampus.
Can’t say it better than Mike (as usual). Totally agree.
Did not enjoy this. Something about all the songs was jarring and annoying. 2/5
Enjoyed this. Recognised the track with Amber Coffman. Had it on a playlist for a while and loved it, but never bothered delving much further. Good this though, sort of somewhere between Animal Collective and at times Battles. Very eclectic, experimental indie. It does tail off at times but overall it’s pretty good and will be back!
So much of this was class but there was just too much nonsense that was also thrown into it. Singing style reminded me of Beirut, lots of it was higher definition mathy like Battles. But Battles also seem to know when to stop with the "arty" side I think. Gave it a quick listen again and with a bit of familiarity the weird stuff didn't annoy me as much so I think it will probably grow on me more. 4 for now.
Music made by people that think they are the reinvention of music. Too many pieces of pointless scarring. I went into this intrigued, I came out a bit dejected. Not nearly as good as they think they are.
I'm not really sure what this is, but whatever it is, it didn't do it for me. Bit too artsy. Not offensive though. I think it had bits and pieces I could enjoy, but it came with too much wanky hipster stuff 2
A quirky and pleasant album. Totally new to me.
Far from the worst thing I've listened to recently, I thought the vocals would annoy me but they strangely suit the melodies at play here. This could be one that grows on me, should I find myself returning to it in the future.
This isn't dissonance this is just bad singing.
Zuhause, Heidenheim, Deutschland. Zu weird & zu ungefährlich.
This album benefits significantly from immediately following Ryan Adam's "Gold" in my list. Almost anything would feel like a blessed relief after that. I have always found myself drawn towards unusual music. So I'm surprised I have never heard of the Dirty Projectors until now. It's really interesting. I see what they are trying to do, though I'm not certain they pull it off 100% of the time. It deserves another listen though. I've awarded an extra 1/2 star for not being Ryan Adams.
Took a while to get started, but once it does it's great
I have loved this album since it came out. I don't think it is perfect, but I'd give it a 4.5, as I think it does blend several things into something really special. It obviously is very inspired by 60's "outsider folk" and a lot of chamber music plus a lot of avant garde and elements of noise rock in the way it disrupts the rhythms and challenges the listener with new sounds and melodies.
Looking back, maybe we indie rocked a little too much in the 2000-2010’s?
Eh, not my thing. This sounds like a band that wants to run in 4-5 different directions and couldn’t decide so they try to go in all directions at once…and not in a good way. I don’t get it
Utter nonsense
Forgetable
Very interesting electronic instrumentals which work harmoniously with the two vocals which both have their turns in the spotlight. Some experimental reverb and other effects on the guitar makes it a fun listen. “No Intention” is my favourite, hands down, simply for its soulful and lively vocals accompanied by the backdrop of the simple instrumentals🤩.
I could have made it through life without having heard this and been perfectly happy.
Nice indie, nothing too revolutionary
I've never heard of Dirty Projectors heading into this album. The beat in Temecula Surprise was a bit jarring as it felt like each instrument was playing at a different tempo. (To be honest, it actually felt like multiple tracks had this sound.) I favored the female featured vocal tracks compared to David's. I think it fit the genre a bit better. Can't see myself coming back to this though. (1.5/5) Favorites: - Stillness Is The Move
I had no idea who this band was, but this immediately brought me back to the era of early 2010s hipster-pop that I have a soft spot for. The male singer has a sound that reminds me a lot of Passion Pit, but I found myself more drawn to the songs led by the female vocalists. I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something missing here that bands like Passion Pit or MGMT seem to do a bit better. Favorite tracks: - Stillness Is The Move - Two Doves
This album is so interesting in a way I wish I was into more, these songs have so many weird, janky and angular melodies to it but they all just work to make some bright and pretty pop stuff, so you'd think the fact that it's so complex would click with me right? Yet it kinda doesn't, I guess because while cool that it sounds so weird it feels kind of aimless for most of the time to me, it has many ideas but I don't think they end anywhere interesting in most songs except for Useful Chamber which feels like the most realized version of what they are doing. So not bad but not my favorite for sure.
At first I tried to like this and it didn't work. But then I tried to dislike it and that DEFINITELY didn't work. Secretly, I loved it the whole time
It has elements that I should really enjoy but it wasn’t doing it for me. Second listen was better tho.
It was fine
Well, there went my plan to listen to every album in its entirety before passing judgment. I could barely make it through 15 seconds of each track on this one.
A wonderful foray into avant garde art pop containing many interesting textures. I could mull over the soundscapes presented in this album forever; however at the end of the day this album seems so concerned over the landscapes it paints that it overlooks the impact on the listener, which in my opinion not resounding but muted in contrast to the colors this album tries to present
I'm torn between really enjoying this, and being tired of the pop-iness. I can't really decide how I feel about it. I'd give it a strong 2.5 stars.
Less charming than it was on release, still technically incredible
Weird new gen hippie crap. Not impressed
I intentionally avoided this album at the time it came out because everything I read about it made it sound really unappealing and pretentious but I was pleasantly surprised, there's always something interesting going on and it sounds like something I will enjoy even more with repeat listens.
Shite
Too hipster for my tastes.
Ok then. Not sure what this was trying to achieve or why it made so many ‘best of’ lists. Whatever it was, the experiment did not work on me. Flashes of niceness overwhelmed by the lack of cohesion or much of a discernible tune.. No Intention stood out for me. Don’t know why
Двоечка
You can't fool me. This is a prog rock album. Indie, my ass. By the way, that's a good review.
Really liked these guys. Kind of odd and reminded me at times of Animal Collective, but interesting.
Too hectic for my brain
I was really ready to hate this ... but that is why we listen BEFORE we judge.
Not bad. Similar to some other bands I like. Wouldn't buy it but wouldn't skip if it came on.
Well, that was painful to listen to! It reminds me of when I lived in the Philippines and we used to go to this kind of outdoor food and beer court, served by several small bars/stalls. Each one would be playing a different kind of music at max volume, and some would have people singing karaoke. The discordance of the various competing sounds used to give me a worse headache than the bad beer I was drinking. The experience of this album had much the same effect.
Pop structures with some avant garde weirdness mixed in. I can’t shake the “indie sleaze”-ness of the record, though. So so so many people forced themselves to listen to this record because it got buzz from Pitchfork
I only clicked with one song, I feel disappointed
very weird album NGL but interesting nonetheless
01) Cannibal Resource - 6,0 02) Temecula Sunrise - 5,0 03) The Bride - 5,0 04) Stillness Is the Move - 5,5 05) Two Doves - 6,5 06) Useful Chamber - 5,5 07) No Intention - 5,5 08) Remade Horizon - 5,5 09) Fluorescent Half Dome - 5,5 TOTAL: 5,56 (56/100) Current ranking: 509/596
Never heard of this album before - and it was better than I expected but still not going to use up cash on the album. Nice vocals though!
Not my thing
What in the hell even is that
The entire time, I was thinking: "what am I supposed to do with this information?" Right from the first track, Cannibal Resource, we hear contrasting elements of several eras of music. The brash, complex timbre of late-70s-esque drumming, guitar tones from a bygone era, both messy and clean vocal harmonies (representing new and old, respectively)... and a melody that's extremely difficult to follow on a first listen. This last aspect is a common theme throughout the album. Temecula Sunrise gets even tougher to follow, introducing what I can only assume are polyrhythms to the mix. And nonsensical guitar solos. Every melody is in conflict with its chord, and at the same time every chord sounds just a bit wrong. The Dirty Projectors pick and choose musical elements seemingly at random – like suddenly introducing a doubled electric guitar and bass line at the end of The Bride with a completely novel riff which is played exactly three times, then the song ends. Stillness Is The Move and Two Doves are the easiest songs to follow mentally. Probably why they have the most listens on Spotify. In both tracks, I enjoyed the vocals and strings competing to see which high-frequency texture could outperform the other. No Intention is also a fun track with a simple modern-rock texture and a great repeating guitar riff. But others, like The Bride and Fluorescent Half Dome, are unapproachable – at least during the first listen. A bit like Captain Beefheart (or what I imagine his stuff is like – still holding out on Trout Mask Replica until I get it on this list). Or maybe a Frank Zappa mimic who aged less elegantly. 2/5 Key tracks: Stillness Is The Move, No Intention
This album rules. This is what college for me sounded like
An unremarkable album, didn’t hate it but didn’t like it either. Perhaps an unappealing mash up of different genres enveloped with bad vocals. This is a high 2 for me.
Grand, sounds like 2009. A good rule of thumb with this list is that albums added after the original version was completed are extremely hit or miss. Whoever made this list had a hard time of pinpointing the contemporary albums that would have a lasting impact.
162/1089 - This really doesn't sound like the album cover. In fact, it really takes don't judge a book by it's cover to another level. I thought I'd dislike this based on the description (odd-time signatures, strings, indie, math-rock, etc.) but it was really well executed and the string sections were CHAMBER strings and not ORCHESTRAL which was nice. Gives it a more intimate feel and allows for more striking counterpoint. One issue I noticed is many of the songs are in G major right in a row but it's just a minor complaint. Overall, I feel like I learned something today. P.S. Does the above sincerity read too millennial? I'm a zillennial so I should probably balance it out with some zoomer-speak: Jacob Collier if he was good at music 😎" Nah but seriously I enjoyed this.
Awful woodland sprite music.
Boring
Interesting and eh. But maybe I wasn't in the right mood for it
Utter garbage.
Not as bad as I thought it would be, but very up it’s own ass.
Good… want to like it more, but it exhausts me a bit. Shame. 3.5ish? …it made me come back for more… 4
When you show up for the daily album and find you've stumbled into a meeting of the Hyperbolic Karen's Pearl Clutching Division. This album is a lot better than the comments. Yeah it's different, but I like strange. Your never going to great any of this on the radio. It's too good for that.
I liked the first track and then things went Chinua Achebe: they fell apart. Not a great listen, a lot of Tune-Yards type odd sound noises. A lot of songs just blended together.
Cannibal Resource...starting off weird. It's almost an anti-song? Like it's trying to avoid making sense Temecula Sunrise...sounds like the dumb shit I would come up with while noodling on guitar The Bride...what is happening?! Stillness is the Move...sort of resembles a pop song. I can groove to it Two Doves...hmm. I appreciate the attempt at a sincere acoustic ballad on an otherwise strange album but it's just not good. Useful Chamber...continues the weirdness. Not an enjoyable listen No Intention...an accessible and welcome reprieve from the rest of this insanity Remade Horizon...guh wtf is this? Sounds like a first draft with high production values Fluorescent Half Dome...not my thing. not my thing at all
Starts strong. Goes downhill quickly. Nice guitar playing.
It was interesting for sure. Most of the songs didn't really culminate the way I wanted but it was pretty satisfying when they did. Rating: 2.3
Just a mess Fave Song: Two Doves
Favorite Track: Stillness Is The Move
Weird without being good or bad
There are some genres you can get away with no melody, but indie rock is not one of them. Simpsons: No
It's never good when I read 'experimental' in the description. This wasn't too bad though.
This was just a dull indie rock album that didn't really do anything. I'm not sure why this has been placed on the list. Maybe the back end of the 2000s was short on albums, and this was one added to make up the numbers?
This album gave me the ick.
A very interesting album. While I do find some of the tracks to be cool and well produced, I feel like most of the tracks are just compiled sounds and random odds and ends. I wish I could say I liked this record more. Sorry…
I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. This is kind of a strange listen. It's indie with both male and female vocals, mostly acoustic guitars, and some tracks have strings as well. There's some strange syncopation and repetition on some tracks that's a bit off-putting. The tracks overall don't feel coherent as an album. Some interesting parts but not enough to come back. Would not listen again.
Love hate this album. Too artsy for me. But definitely has some amazing songs. Two doves is a favorite just such a beautiful song. Useful chamber is my other fave!
New to me. Liked it.
Horrible
Não é meu tipo de música. Para meu gosto é muito chato. Ouvi o álbum todo e esse tipo de indie experimental não me pega mesmo. Tangzu Wan'er SG.
Bitte Orca is the fifth studio album from Dirty Projectors, a New York City based indie rock/art pop band. The band is primarily the work of singer/songwriter David Longstreth. They make songs with a sparse, light feeling to them, making catchy melodies with unusual rhythms. The album includes "Stillness Is the Move," one of the band's biggest singles; it features vocals by Amber Coffman. It's an upbeat, synth-pop song, like about half of the album. The other half has some acoustic songs, and a few rockers, like "Useful Chamber."
Likte da ikkje
Original sound
I half expected some guy to start screaming "HEY" in the middle of No Intention.
This really does nothing for me, and it's not even good enough to get a 3. Still not like... aggravating or anything, just not really anything. Almost interesting in a couple parts.
Did Dirty Projectors pay to be on this list or something? If you thought this album was boring but that they had some neat ideas, check out their song Break-Thru, it's great.
Thoroughly uninteresting album. I don't think a single song or even moment on this album hooked me aside from the pretty decent Useful Chamber, but also nothing was offensively bad enough to be memorable. Arguably, the worst kind of album.
Another entry in “why on earth was this included in the list?” Some good parts, some incredibly weird and annoying parts. Won’t be revisiting. Shoutout to whoever put “Stillness Is The Move” on the NBA 2K13 soundtrack though
Did Bitte Orca NEED to be on the list? Questionable... I didn't fall in love with the album, but it's a unique, quirky experience and a welcome breath of fresh air through the usual early rock stuff on here. I put this on the speaker, and looking past the sometimes overbearing vocalizations, it was a decently fun vibe. Standout: Useful Chamber
The second half of this album was great. The first part of the album was like a "worst of Arcade Fire" compilation.
Nice album art. This is cute artsy music. Lotsa falsettos and acoustic plucking with some rando-sparse electonica sprinkled in. It makes me think of that band from the mid-00's, The Dodos. Dude sounds like Ted Leo without the PR cred.
I like indie rock. But Dirty Projectors is too indie for me. Too off-kilter. Much potential in little bits, but ruined by discordance. The single, “Stillness is the Move,” is by the far the best track, and much of that is due to it sounding very different from the rest of the album, including the vocals from Amber Coffman. Aside from “Stillness,” where does the Dirty Projector sound fit into the indie rock landscape? Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear had an interesting take on it, explaining that “Someone was asking me about what I was listening to and I was saying ‘Oh, Dirty Projectors, I love the new album,’ and they were like, ‘Well what kind of music is it?’ and I just stopped dead in my tracks and literally didn't know how to describe it. At first I was embarrassed because I didn't know how to describe it, but then I was like, this is what's so amazing about a lot of music now. There are so many different things and there's so much going on and Bitte Orca is so distinctly Dirty Projectors that I didn't even know how to begin to describe what genre it is, you know? What would one categorize it as? So I find it hard lately to label things as indie or pop or folk or give it some sort of categorization.” The genre bending and blending can be amazing, but it can also result in a mess that never really clicks. There’s a lot of indie rock that fits Droste’s apt description, and that hard-to-categorize music can be interesting but also has a much lower ceiling for widespread success. While there is more rock music out there than ever before, much of it is not palatable to the mainstream. Not that it has to be. Be artsy. Be avant garde. But a lot of that doesn’t hit for me. That’s the space Dirty Projectors inhabits.
This is a little like walking into a modern art museum; it's interesting, but you're not sure you really get it. It makes you feel something, but mostly just uncomfortable with the fact that something is just "off" about it. This is a museum I will not be revisiting.
Four times through and I still don’t quite know what I’m hearing. Folksy art rock? Artsy indie folk? Indie folk art? It’s perplexing. What I do know is that I want to keep listening to figure out why I like it.
This didn't leave much of an impression for me. Sounded a bit folky vampire weekend. Very 00s
Every song starts out sounding a bit basic, then I feel a bit like Super Hans listening to Barney’s demo ‘oh, he’s done something there’ Really enjoyed it. I added Temecula Sunrise to my rotation playlist.
Idk about this one... I haven't listened to new music in a while and this one did not stick. A lot of the songs felt disjointed and others felt like a hodgepodge of random stuff. I really liked No Intention and that's about it, because it was steady, and had a catchy guitar part. Other than that, the first 3 songs were uneven rhythmically and I wasn't a huge fan of that. Useful Chamber just felt random, and by the end, the songs were kind of uninteresting. I like the idea of having the female singers, and they are good background singers, although it got repetitive throughout all of the songs. The lyrics are good though, that is a strong point on this album. Favorite Song: No Intention Least Favorite Song: Useful Chamber
A bit too twee and clunky for me, even though it actually pulls itself together a bit in the second half. Favorite song is “Stillness Is The Move”, specifically featuring the girl on the left of the album cover, Amber Coffman. I knew I recognized that voice from somewhere, shes featured on Rusko’s “Hold On” and Major Lazers “Get Free”. If you haven’t heard the latter, you should listen to it - one of the better, more meaningful, left-of-field songs to ever come from and edm group.
Nice. Haven't listened to this record in a long time, but I remember when it first debuted. Really enjoyed it then and still do today. It's a quirky, upbeat record with some interesting time signatures and rhythms. The melodies are cool and fun, as well as the vocals. This is a cool album.
I still don't know what to make of Bitte Orca. I guess it's easy enough to listen to. It contains some experimental components that I'm not exactly wild about, and a fair descriptor to use is weird. I heard some Eastern-inspired sounds, which is always interesting. But my life is not enriched or better off after this album.
This was definitely eclectic and leaning more into heavy hipster territory of the indie genre. Not that there is anything wrong with that, inherently. That said, this just often felt experimental and noisy and wasn't completely to my liking. Oh well.
Slop pop.
Indie background album
Everything I hate about indie folk
The songs reminded me a little of some Gamelan I have heard; I really dug the back and forth in a number of the songs. I preferred the singer's voice as opposed to the guest stars as well. The singer seemed like a cross of Elvis Costello and Thom Yorke, but in a good way. I was pleasantly surprised in this work, and I'm interested in listening to more of this artist. Top tracks: "Remade Horizon," "Cannibal Resource," "Temecula Sunrise"
I read about praise for the album and award recognition and I'm perplexed. It's like anything eclectic and out there we want to anoint as the greatest thing since sliced bread. What if we let the stoners pick award winning music? Likely not ideal. So why do we let the bohemian art students pick the awards? That's what this feels like. I mean, this album is fine and all but it's just another example of indie techno pop (or rock if you want to go that far). I kind of dig David Longstreth's guitar and vocals but the off-time female vocals (I'm sure that was intentional) on Cannibal Resource and a few other songs was a bit grating. So was Longstreth's off-time approach to the title track and a couple other songs. All of it made this feel a bit like a Bjork or Sugarcubes album. And now I get why the critics love it and why it didn't totally resonate with me.
I liked this one. Creative compositions, excellent musicianship. The male singer (songwriter) has a bit of a Jeff Buckley sound going and the two female backing vocalists take very interesting approaches to their vocal lines (and I particularly liked Amber Coffman's lead turn on Stillness is the Move). Not in the 1001 anymore but I'm glad I heard it. I'd probably say it's a 3.5 but I'll round up because I wouldn't mind revisiting. Favorite tracks: Cannibal Resource, Stillness is the Move (caught my attention every time - cool groove).
The glad fact is way better
Okay album
Never heard of the group. Ok listen.
Nervous, twitchy caterwauling voice over similarly twitchy yowling sparse indie instrumentation. Unique.
Oddly.. refreshing?
Def in my top 3 albums by a “rock band” to come out in the decade known as the 2000s.
I had never heard of this record or of this band before but after reading some of the reviews I was actually kind of excited about it. Weird and pretentious is normally something I'd enjoy. I'm not sure if I'd call this weird or pretentious. Maybe it's a little weird but not like off-putting weird. Unusual is what I would call it. But this is the good thing about going through this list - I really like this and never would have found it otherwise. I'm not sure I would rate it a 4/5 but probably like 3.75/5 from me. It's another example of why ratings should be out of 10, this would be a good 7.
Not feeling it. Kind of folksy, kind of synthy, a little too all over the place.
WTF? Make it go away. Hate is a strong word, but it fits here.
Really didn't get this album. It all kinda sounded the same and was just another indie pop album. 4/10
3 - it was decent. Definitely not the worst album some made it out to be. Really weird and at points got a bit too over the top
Really unique art pop album. It’s very creative - I don’t normally delve into the more sensitive folk music. The vocal combos are extraordinary. The male lead sounds like Antony and the Johnsons. I’m bumping to a low 4 because it is a unique sound palette. I’m amazed how many ppl hate this as well! Haha. The guitar sound on no intention is a nice surprise - like desert blues. And that is what the album offers to the patient listener, lots of nice surprises. It’s good ok - just enjoy👌
Very choppy n sloppy sounding. It sounds disorganized and as if ideas and rhythms were just slapped together without regard to how they fit in the song. Some interesting moments, but ultimately it’s a fatiguing listen.
RV