The Dodos have had several albums before, in which they bridge genres a little. Sometimes it’s rock, but often they have a lot of folk style guitar. Individ starts out with “Precipitation”, which is really interesting, abound with tambourine, upbeat guitar and singing. “The Tide” is math rock keyboard like Dan Deacon. Echo-y “Bubble” is good. The booming drums stand out in “Competition”. There is something really innovative about “Competition”, it is rock, but rhythm bass in a low key over heavy tom drums is uncommon. Besides the technical music The Dodos try to be more than folk in this.
There are personal struggles in “Goodbyes and Endings” and “Bastard”. Some of the songs take some time to get going, adding a thematic feel to the record. At only nine songs, it’s a brief stint into the dark for this release.
OK, OK, so Atlas Shrugged is on the album cover. It is a bigger album than that, though, in heart as well as style. From “Precipitation” to “Pattern/Shadow”, the album rounds out dark questions in lyrics and upbeat guitar. “Precipitation” starts the trek, “And what now that we are over / What storm ahead / Could we precipitate?” “Pattern/Shadow” asks the same person to see the ocean in front. “Rescinded the urge / Revealing an ocean / Your pattern / The shadow.” The Dodo’s Individ is solid, and they continue questioning their place in society. ”What storm ahead” indeed.
The Dodos – Competition
