Caribou
Dan Snaith is releasing his fourth album via Merge , further reinforcing my vote for record company of the year. IMO, there is nobody else that has been consistently been releasing the best albums of the year.Mr. Manitoba, I mean Mr Caribou. Everytime I say that name I think of that stupid coffee chain, but, he has a friend on his album that has been pretty busy himself this year, Junior Boy Jeremy Greenspan, whom helps out on songwriting details on one of the tracks. Up in Flames was a staple in my rotation four years ago and long wondered what happened to Mr. Snaith . I know the reason he always appealed to me is because he always made the avant–garde seem so familiar and enjoyable. It was always a mashup of funk and electronic beats layered over his soothing voice. It’s the kind of record you put on for the afterparty and just let repeat. Andorra is the new album and it will be released August 21st 2007.
Here’s the blip from Merge:
CARIBOU signs to Merge
CARIBOU SIGNS TO MERGENew Album Andorra Coming This Summer, US Tour in the FallMerge Records is thrilled to announce that we will be releasing Andorra, the new album from Caribou, on August 21st, 2007. The album will be released in Europe on August 20th (City Slang).Andorra is the 4th full length from Dan Snaith recording under his Caribou moniker (formerly Manitoba – but that’s a whole ‘nother story). Andorra has more of a full band feel than some of Caribou’s earlier studio efforts. It’s still just Dan in the studio creating his singular magic, but the extensive touring that Caribou did for their last album, The Milk of Human Kindness, definitely left its mark on the arrangements. The sound is more expansive and more blissfully psychedelic than ever. Dan seems pleased with the results: I’m super-happy with the way the album has turned out. I’ve put seemingly endless hours into it over the last year or so getting everything exactly as I wanted it and have never been this madly excited about my music. I can’t wait for you all to hear it and hope you’ll like it too.We have no doubt that you will. The sound Snaith debuted with on Up in Flames and developed with The Milk of Human Kindness is easy to describe in terms of other bands, blending Mercury Rev, Neu!, Brian Wilson, and a few others in specific proportions. It’s most certainly a formula, but then, so is E=MC2 –Pitchfork Media [9.0 rating]Sounds like the work of someone given one month to live — UrbAndorra
Tracklist:
1. Melody Day
2. Sandy
3. After Hours
4. She’s the One *
5. Desiree
6. Eli
7. Sundialing
8. Irene
9. Niobe
*= “She’s The One” features and was co-written by the Junior Boys’ Jeremy Greenspan Merge will be releasing a CDEP of “Melody Day”, the first single from Andorra, on July 10th. More details to follow shortly.Look for Caribou on tour in North America in October and November 2007. Complete tour dates and routing coming soon!Stay tuned for more updates and details.
I have to agree. Merge has been an absolute powerhouse this year whose releases will surely dominate many a “best of” year end list, including mine. Arcade Fire,The Broken West, and The Clientele are pretty much shoo-ins at this point already and the year is still young.