The Atari Star - Aniseed Review
by Dan MacIntosh
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The Atari Star's opening track, titled "This Is Where I Often Pause," made me pause, too, because it brought Eric Matthews' breathy, well-mannered pop immediately to mind. And while vocalist Marc Ruvolo approximates Matthews' singing voice in quite a few places on Aniseed, The Atari Star do not just limit their sonic solely to Matthews' distinctly meditative pop vibe.
The CD's title track particularly sets The Atari Star apart from Mr. Matthews. On it, Ruvolo pleads in a deep voice, "I wish you were raised by wolves," over driving rock. This track even adds a little Tijuana Brass-y horns toward the end of the tune. Similarly, Ruvolo also shows off his gutsier vocal style over the pounding drums of "Astrid! Wie Geht's?"
One hears mournful cello filling out "The Be All End All," for a track that somewhat mirrors what Lou Reed accomplished with The Velvet Underground. The morbidity of the line, "she's dead in the street again," only deepens the song's connection to that pivotal, albeit depressing, New York band. It's a song that leaves you feeling uneasy; an affect The Velvet Underground mastered so well. The other song that stands out most in this collection is titled "Letter To Ernest." With a musical accompaniment comprised of churchy organ, strummed acoustic guitar and wandering bass, it shares written words of encouragement with a soldier. "Dearest comrade, I hope this letter finds you safe."
Despite the Eric Matthews comparisons, The Atari Star are a difficult band to categorize. Lyrically, Ruvolo writes intelligently, not unlike The Decemberists' Colin Meloy. But musically, Aniseed jumps around without landing anyplace for too long. This mostly leaves The Atari Star in a solar system all their own.
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The Atari Star - Aniseed
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