Aaron J. Poehler - Transister

I really didn't know what to expect with this one, seeing as the packaging encases the CD in a superfluous slipcase and both the outside and inside of the CD box as well as the slipcase simply repeat shots of a fluorescent lighting fixture. The point? Beats me. They probably thought it was cool because New Order did it (the repeated images thing) back in the '80's. Before listening, my first guess on the music was dance electronica, my second was pretentious art-school rock. It turns out that the music is quite similar to Garbage in that way of being pop/rock tunes with a crooning female singer that are 'electronica'dup' in post-production, although probably the band that's most comparable in sound to transister is post-computerization U2--the echoed, ringing guitars layered over mechanized beats synched to drum machines, in service to repetitive, anthemic sing along songs that aim straight for the pop market. There's definitely a heavy New Order influence and a little Laurie Anderson in the mix as well, plus some Yaz, Depeche Mode, Massive Attack, and late-period Wire. In all fairness transister isn't really half bad even if the whole thing is pretty transparent and obviously derivative; its very formulaicism (quiet verses, loud choruses, folky rock song structures with oh-so-90s drum loops) could be its strength in the mass market. I can see how this might be quite popular. It's true that the album thins out and becomes boring fairly quickly (all the songs sound pretty much alike) and the singsongy, simplistic nature of the lyrics doesn't allow much room for interpretation, but this type of music rises and falls on hit singles and marketing alone. They need to aim for the little girls who are growing out of the Spice Girls and looking for something a hair less crass, as well as anybody who actually paid money for a Cranberries album. If transister's promotion men can get enough money into the right pockets at the right time and finagle a top ten single and a striking, appropriately slutty-looking video, you might see and hear enough of this group to drive you insane. Otherwise don't worry about it.

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"...a mixture of traditional and electronic ...the accidental and intentional ...not perfect, but perfect is boring..."

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