The more and more I listen to the Dismemberment Plan, the more and more I think how they are one of the best young bands out there. And how this quartet of D.C. genre-hoppers went from producing frantic, confusing noise-pop to something as beautiful and strangely passive as Change is truley remarkable. Tell anybody who listened to their debut that the Plan would end up being one of the greatest things to come out of the indie world in a while, they might have thought you were crazy.
Their third full-length 1999's Emergency & I might be their opus, but Change gets better and better with each listen, despite any initial disappointments one might have due to the album's more mature, calm nature.
The keyboards are still here, the melodies are as catchy as ever, Travisl has his poetic/bleak/humorous lyrics down pat, but the energy has been toned down considerably. If Emergency & I was the wild party, Change is the morning after with the host waking up in a daze in an empty house.
"Sentimental Man" and "Superpowers" go hand in hand with very pretty keyboard melodies and an overall dream-like, almost trippy vibe. The latter works fantastically at blending some self-depricating, almost sad lyrics with generally upbeat accompainment. The use of contradicting emotions in music and lyrics allows for more sincerity to show through. Maybe the emotional intensity of some of Travis' words (see "Secret Curse") has branded the Plan with the much-maligned "emo" label, but the band thankfully avoids melodrama and overwrought paranoia. Take for example "Time Bomb," which is incredibly intense but believable. It's everything you should love about the Plan.
The minimalism of "Automatic" (acoustic guitar and various ambient noises) works in ways "The Jitters" from Emergency & I only hinted at. "Ellen & Ben" is a slightly humorous tale about a unexpected relationship falling apart complete with a great moog line. "Face Of The Earth" seamlessly blends dub and hip-hop and shows a greater understanding and love for both genres than just about every rap-metal band out there.
Don't let initial quips stop you from Change. It is the Plan at their very best. No lie. Give it some time, and you should see what makes Change so speical. For those not yet turned on to the Dismemberment Plan, I'd suggest you get acquainted. Start here. |
