Airborne Toxic Event

It’s strange, I’ve lost some faith in the rock (alterna/indie rock, cuz that’s what I review dammit!) album for awhile. In the last few years, the rock albums seems to come out sounding like, well, regular rock albums. Nickelback? Really? Scream at me all the time? no thanks! But something seems to be changing in the last little while. I was rocked by the Franz Ferdinand album, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs album, and now Airborne Toxic Event.

The LA based band comes to us with their first full length self-titled album after 2007’s Does this mean you’re moving on? EP. Fronted by Mikel Jollett, the 5 person band (Steven Chen , Noah Harmon , and Anna Bulbrook)c omes out with guns blazing on this album.

Wishing well – what a great song to start the album off with. Shades of Clap your hands Say Yeah. Good song.

Papillon – I wonder if Jollett is trying to channel a happier Ian Curtis on this song? Such thing? well, as happy as you can sound singing:
"All dressed up, no place to run
No car, no girl, no pills, no fun
Nothing to do in this empty roomI
gotta get my head together soon"

Gasoline – This is old school rock and roll. Reminiscing an angst ridden youth and lost love. My youth was never really angst ridden. I was brought up in a nice Stepford family (look it up kids), so I had to get my angst through music. Now that’s a switch huh? That’s another story and post.

Happiness is overrated – If there’s a song for the alterna movement, it’s definitely this. For what is angst if you can’t sing about how you wish you were dead. Good times my friends good times. I really like Stephen Chen’s guitar solo in this song (Chen? Chinese? Rock band? Impossible!!!)

Does this mean you’re moving on? – taken from their EP in 2007, Does this Mean you’re moving on was their very first single. With it’s radio friendly riffs and catch tune, one can’t help but bob his/her head. Why bob? Because that’s the alternative dance you know. We have no rhythm.

This nowhere –Would probably say this is the weakest track and that’s saying a lot considering it’s not bad.

Sometime around midnight – the current single actually belies the rest of the album, but it’s a great song nonetheless. I mean if Adam Clayton says it was one of his favourite songs, then it MUST be good right? ;o) it actually is.

Something new – And now for something almost different, we have the most pop track on the album. Anna Bulbrook’s backing vocals are a nice change and maybe she’ll get to sing a little more in the next album.

Missy – Missy sounds kind of creepy. Eyes as big as porcelain drapes? Skin as thin as paper drapes? Singing to the lord before sleep? Thank god she’s wrapped in a catchy tune.

Innocence – The final song on the album leads us through an instrumental intro that builds and builds into a rock crescendo. Great ending.

This is a great album and I highly recommend it. It renews my faith that rock music isn’t dead, it was just on hiatus for a little while. You don’t have to scream at me incessantly to make it rock and roll. Just give me my angst and I’m just fine.
NB: they're playing the Phoenix Concert Theatre on October 19th in Toronto