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In the 15-plus years since they released their masterpiece of sample-based electronica, Since I Left You, the Avalanches have been legendary ghosts kept alive by hopes, rumors, and memories of greatness compounded by a lack of anyone coming along to fill their shoes. With the release of 2016's Wildflower, the group stages a comeback that sadly falls short of expectations, but still ends up being a pretty good album anyway. In fact, if it hadn't been made by the Avalanches, it may even be a great album. The record is filled with their trademarks: heavy doses of summer sun so bright they seem to glisten more than shine, beats that seem to be constructed from bubblegum and rubber bands, samples that are witty and fit together like puzzle pieces. Kicking off with a track that sounds like part two of "Since I Left You," "Because I'm Me" seems headed for the same patch of nirvana when it is suddenly derailed by some rapping from Camp Lo that grounds the heavenly sounds in some real-life grit. Not only is the rapping here a distraction, it's the first of many guest appearances that serve to spoil what made Since I Left You so special. It had a timeless, immaculately constructed sound that was insular in the best way, made by a band of like-minded record geeks merrily toiling away over samplers and vinyl to create something brilliant. All the guest appearances on Wildflower not only wreck that feeling, but they are unnecessary. The Avalanches are masters at creating new melodies out of old records, fresh feelings out of lost snippets of sound; now they are kind of cheating by bringing in a bunch of people to do the heavy lifting for them -- and it's kind of like cheating when they don't have to. Not only do the many rappers (Danny Brown, MF Doom, Biz Markie, and others) sound out of place, the plethora of indie rockers (like Toro y Moi, Father John Misty, and Jennifer Herrema) do too. They all seem slapped on after the songs were already done, adding very little to the sounds already there. Only the two tracks featuring Mercury Rev's Jonathan Donahue ("Colours," "Kaleidoscope Lovers") work well since they sound like true collaborations. Skipping the songs with guest appearances leaves behind an album that sounds like fragments of a worthy follow-up in many ways, with smile-inducing tracks like "Subways," which borrows huge chunks of Chandra's song of the same name, soundtracks for daydreams ("Sunshine"), and short sampledelic bits that end too quickly. It's a shame the group didn't expand on these self-contained songs more, leave off the pasted-in vocals that clutter things up and detract from the magic in the grooves, and build them into something more like Since I Left You. By focusing on outsiders instead of trusting their crate-digging genius, the Avalanches shortchanged themselves and ended up making the best psychedelic Chemical Brothers album ever instead of making another classic Avalanches album.
© Tim Sendra /TiVo
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Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Avalanches, MainArtist - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Salahadeen Wilds, ComposerLyricist - Barney Perkins, ComposerLyricist - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gregory Perry, ComposerLyricist - General Norman Johnson, ComposerLyricist - Geechi Suede, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Saladine T. Wallace, ComposerLyricist - The Avalanches, MainArtist - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Sonny Cheeba, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Danny Brown, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Richard Rodgers, ComposerLyricist - Oscar Hammerstein II , ComposerLyricist - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wilmoth Houdini, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jean Michel Bernard, Orchestra - Doom, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - The Avalanches, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
PATRICK SIMMONS, ComposerLyricist - Barry Gibb, ComposerLyricist - Robin Gibb, ComposerLyricist - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Avalanches, Guitar, Percussion, Synthesizer Programming, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
PATRICK SIMMONS, ComposerLyricist - Barry Gibb, ComposerLyricist - Robin Gibb, ComposerLyricist - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Maurice Gibb, ComposerLyricist - KEVIN PARKER, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - David McMurray, ComposerLyricist - Gene Dunlap, ComposerLyricist - Kathy Kosins, ComposerLyricist - Rye Rye, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - The Avalanches, Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chaz Bundick, Guitar, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jonti Danilewitz, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - The Avalanches, Vocals, Synthesizer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist - Dionte "Slim Gravy" Rembert, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Arrias "Paris Pershun" Walls, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jonathan Donahue, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Avalanches, Vocals, Synthesizer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited
Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Avalanches, MainArtist - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
John Lennon, ComposerLyricist - Paul Mccartney, ComposerLyricist - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Biz Markie, Vocals, Unknown, Other, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jean Michel Bernard, Orchestra - The Avalanches, Keyboards, Unknown, Other, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jean Michel Bernard, Orchestra, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jonathan Donahue, Unknown, Other - The Avalanches, Guitar, Synthesizer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jonathan Donahue, Vocals, Unknown, Other, AssociatedPerformer - Jonti Danilewitz, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - The Avalanches, Keyboards, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Shags Chamberlain, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist - Leslie Ritter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Beth Chapin Reineke, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Alise Marie, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Avalanches, Keyboards, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dominique Clarke, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist - Dionte "Slim Gravy" Rembert, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Arrias "Paris Pershun" Walls, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Avalanches, MainArtist - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Paul Mccartney, ComposerLyricist - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Linda Mccartney, ComposerLyricist - Jay Ferguson, ComposerLyricist - The Avalanches, Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Danny Brown, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tommy James, ComposerLyricist - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Vale, ComposerLyricist - The Avalanches, Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dominique Clarke, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Avalanches, MainArtist - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - James Pepper, ComposerLyricist - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bobby Goldsboro, ComposerLyricist - The Avalanches, Synthesizer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sheila Young, ComposerLyricist - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Randy Newman, ComposerLyricist - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Avalanches, Synthesizer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Clarence Burke, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gregory K. Fowler, ComposerLyricist - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jonathan Donahue, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Avalanches, Vocals, Synthesizer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Warren Ellis, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Lou Barlow, ComposerLyricist - The Avalanches, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jennifer Herrema, ComposerLyricist - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kurt Midness, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joshua Tillman, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - The Avalanches, Bass Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - David Berman, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Danny Brown, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Richard Rodgers, ComposerLyricist - Oscar Hammerstein II , ComposerLyricist - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wilmoth Houdini, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jean Michel Bernard, Orchestra - Doom, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - The Avalanches, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Connell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robbie Chater, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Dobos, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Espie, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Neighbour, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Di Blasi, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Australia Pty Limited
Album review
In the 15-plus years since they released their masterpiece of sample-based electronica, Since I Left You, the Avalanches have been legendary ghosts kept alive by hopes, rumors, and memories of greatness compounded by a lack of anyone coming along to fill their shoes. With the release of 2016's Wildflower, the group stages a comeback that sadly falls short of expectations, but still ends up being a pretty good album anyway. In fact, if it hadn't been made by the Avalanches, it may even be a great album. The record is filled with their trademarks: heavy doses of summer sun so bright they seem to glisten more than shine, beats that seem to be constructed from bubblegum and rubber bands, samples that are witty and fit together like puzzle pieces. Kicking off with a track that sounds like part two of "Since I Left You," "Because I'm Me" seems headed for the same patch of nirvana when it is suddenly derailed by some rapping from Camp Lo that grounds the heavenly sounds in some real-life grit. Not only is the rapping here a distraction, it's the first of many guest appearances that serve to spoil what made Since I Left You so special. It had a timeless, immaculately constructed sound that was insular in the best way, made by a band of like-minded record geeks merrily toiling away over samplers and vinyl to create something brilliant. All the guest appearances on Wildflower not only wreck that feeling, but they are unnecessary. The Avalanches are masters at creating new melodies out of old records, fresh feelings out of lost snippets of sound; now they are kind of cheating by bringing in a bunch of people to do the heavy lifting for them -- and it's kind of like cheating when they don't have to. Not only do the many rappers (Danny Brown, MF Doom, Biz Markie, and others) sound out of place, the plethora of indie rockers (like Toro y Moi, Father John Misty, and Jennifer Herrema) do too. They all seem slapped on after the songs were already done, adding very little to the sounds already there. Only the two tracks featuring Mercury Rev's Jonathan Donahue ("Colours," "Kaleidoscope Lovers") work well since they sound like true collaborations. Skipping the songs with guest appearances leaves behind an album that sounds like fragments of a worthy follow-up in many ways, with smile-inducing tracks like "Subways," which borrows huge chunks of Chandra's song of the same name, soundtracks for daydreams ("Sunshine"), and short sampledelic bits that end too quickly. It's a shame the group didn't expand on these self-contained songs more, leave off the pasted-in vocals that clutter things up and detract from the magic in the grooves, and build them into something more like Since I Left You. By focusing on outsiders instead of trusting their crate-digging genius, the Avalanches shortchanged themselves and ended up making the best psychedelic Chemical Brothers album ever instead of making another classic Avalanches album.
© Tim Sendra /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 22 track(s)
- Total length: 01:03:57
- Main artists: The Avalanches
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
© 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited ℗ 2016 Modular Recordings Pty Limited
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