The Dodos Visiter by: Thomas Mendelovitis Tue:01-Apr-08 Label: French Kiss Year: 2008 WB rating 75 out of 100

The Dodos tread a comforting path for lovers of the particular brand of music that can somehow be reduced under the admittedly problematic umbrella term ‘American contemporary indie’. While Visiter is not typically ‘derivative’ by any mode of analysis, the traditions of and approaches to song and sound of the duo of singer/guitarist Meric Long and drummer Logan Kroeber are familiar enough to sound firmly ensconced within the aesthetic of similarly minded American acts Animal Collective, Iron and Wine, Band of Horses and My Morning Jacket. Like these artists, The Dodos successfully combine traditional Americana such as folk and blues with post-Velvet Underground verve and avant leanings.

Underpinning the Dodos’ sound is the winning combination of Long’s alternately fingerpicked and furiously strummed steel-string guitar and Kroeber’s unconventional, Maureen Tucker-esque take on the Western rock drum kit. Just like The National’s Boxer was a drummer’s album, so too does Visiter’s unconventional drumming work on a similarly visceral level. Exuberant and bombastic, and at times African in feel (the Dodos MySpace states that both musicians have been interested in experimental drumming; West African and progressive metal), the drums always avoid encroaching on the everyman sweetness of Long’s voice. While the National’s Matt Berninger’s voice has a weary depth built to withstand the sonic onslaughts of his band-mates, Long’s more lilting instrument relies on well-placed exuberance of its own to counter the prominent rhythms of the duo’s other half. ‘Jodi’ reflects well this quality. Starting out as delicately plucked guitar, unchangingly buoyant drums are introduced and anchor the song. When the measured guitar changes rhythm and key for the chorus, the stable drums mark a moment of transcendental beauty- it’s like the drums in their stasis change the song more than any smart fill could manage.

While they plumb the great traditions of their nation, to call the Dodos an ‘acoustic folk’ act would sell them short of their musical vision- ‘acoustic’ recalling as it does the tedious stylings of that movement’s more flaccid proponents. Visiter is indeed a deliciously acoustic album; warm to listen to and devoid of much of the electric dynamism that ironically relegates many acts to the forget-me pile. Where used, sparse touches of organ, trumpet and fuzzy slide add to the old-world meets experimental feel, bolstering the specific atmosphere of acoustic guitar and drums. The bittersweet mood of ‘Ashley’, which features female vocals answering Long’s questioning chorus in a repeating eponymous refrain, is perfectly accentuated by a mellow mellotron-like keyboard. Visiter is not the sound of a two-piece recording, but other, more famous, duos such as the Black Keys and the White Stripes don’t strive for that either. Like these acts, however, the album does firmly remain the product of a two-instrument, two-brain (hmm, Meg?) group.

Despite a tendency for lovelorn ballads approaching the insipid in their diffusion throughout the album, Meric Long possesses songwriting smarts with an approachable and inviting core. This feature provokes repeated listening and distinguishes Visiter as a mostly consistent and fine piece of work. Throughout the album, one is reminded of Animal Collective: both in Long’s twisted singsong vocal delivery as well as in Kroeber’s unconventional drumming. For example, ‘Fools’ features the tom plus stick clicking trademark of Panda Bear, and the kind of chanting, jumpy, polymorphous, turn of phrase styling of Avey Tare. The quality of good songs set alongside arresting atmospherics is a blend, however, that Animal Collective have only attempted with their latest effort- previous releases focusing more on ambient structures. Conversely, it is telling that the Dodos began as a solo project for Long, who would perform as a singer-songwriter of sorts. However, unlike some acts based around a singer-songwriter- where each member adds their own touch in a hodgepodge of influence- the Dodos have already achieved an assured and confident sound. As much within the framework of the contemporary take on Americana purveyed by many of their countrymen as without, the Dodos’ sound is one that hints at the endless possibilities of the avant-garde. With any luck, future releases should show Long and Kroeber climbing to even greater heights.