Atlas Genius – When It Was Now

What makes these guys so special? Here’s the quick answer: not a lot....
Atlas Genius : When It Was Now
2.2 Warner Brothers
2013 

Atlas Genius : When It Was NowTo have only been together for only a couple of years, be from Australia, and be getting as much radio airplay and attention in the United States as Atlas Genius is, you must be doing something right, right?  That’s not to make it sound like the U.S. is the end-all be-all in terms of determining what music is worthwhile, but it’s safe to say that they have gained a lot of ground rather quickly when compared to many other bands who are together for sometimes ten years or more before they get ‘discovered’.

More

That being said, what makes these guys so special? Here’s the quick answer: not a lot. They’re success thus far is a bit of a mystery.

Just for kicks, let’s take a look at the long question and subsequent answer.

Sure, Atlas Genius have lots of catchy and charmingly indie songs, but in the land of Phoenix, Cold War Kids, Windowless Territory, Silversun Pickups, MGMT, The Temper Trap, Vampire Weekend, Terminal Mapping, Passion Pit, Young the Giant, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Local Natives, Youth Lagoon, Grizzly Bear, Beach House, Yeasayer, Perfume Genius, M83, Two Door Cinema Club, St. Bartle’s Buttcheek, Grouplove, Imagine Dragons, Fantasy Canvas, and Metric (are you getting the idea yet?), are these guys just the next catchy indie band in a sea of indiscernible similar acts?  The long answer: quite possibly.  Also, four of the band names mentioned above aren’t even real, but did you really even notice?

Here’s the deal, you have to put a lot of effort into finding memorable things about this album.  It is average at best.  Let’s not get too judgmental here, but this is the perfect album to have playing in the background at the grand opening of your boutique downtown where you serve Pabst Blue Ribbon to your guests who wear small t-shirts and black leather shoes and have thin mustaches.

All right, enough negativity and sarcasm.  What is good about this album?

Hmm.  Well, the song “Centered On You” has sort of an ‘80s vibe, so…  Wait, what?  The new Justin Timberlake album is streaming in full on iTunes?!

See ya.

Atlas Genius – Centred On You

Categories
Album Reviews
  • Anonymous
    at
  • One Comment

    Leave a Reply

    Album of the Week