Odditorium or Warlords of Mars

Often compared to the druggy psychedelic pop of the Velvet Underground, the Dandy Warhols do posses more than just a passing resemblance to Lou Reed and Co. at times, but elements of such modern rockers as Love and Rockets and Ride can be detected in their sound, as well. Formed in Portland, OR, during 1994, the Dandy Warhols consist of members Courtney Taylor-Taylor (vocals, guitar), Zia McCabe (keyboards), Peter Loew (guitar), and Eric Hedford (drums). Stuck in a no-mans land between psychedelic pop and credible scuzz-rock like superfluous slurry, they always invoked a little disdain from music enthusiasts whilst alienating the pop market with their deviant jangle. Time has managed to do wonders for the Dandy Warhols. Named (at least in part) after the band's recording studio in Portland, Odditorium or Warlords of Mars is the fifth album from The Dandy Warhols and a return to the dirty pelvic thrusting of Dandy's Rule OK and a real contender for some long deserved applause.

Courtney Taylor-Taylor and his colleagues occasionally dip into their pared-back, melodically simple past, as on the hypnotic Holding Me Up, which could have been recorded at pretty much any time over their long and illustrious career. Or Everyone Is Totally Insane, which also has echoes of the Dandy Warhols' past glories. But elsewhere the band flirts with a whole range of new sounds. The nine minute-plus long Love Is The New Feel Awful may yet come to define the new wave of prog, with its wailing trumpet and squealing guitars dueling throughout, as does the 11 minute long A Loan Tonight. There Is Only This Time is a revelation, with its haunting guitars weaving in and around a far off brass section overlaying a series of clicks and blips is reminiscent of latter-day Radiohead. Arguably, the album's highlight comes with All The Money Or The Simple Life Honey – a Stonesy number that builds from minimal beginnings into a horn-laden anthem beamed in from some seedy ‘60s pool-hall. Odditorium or Warlords of Mars isn't without comedy, the campfire jig of The New Country and the Jeffrey Lewis styled ditty Did You Make a Song with Otis are both charming flourish's of buoyant exuberance, showing a real love and childish approach to song writing.

Odditorium or Warlords of Mars is an expansive rock-n-roll album which could only come from the minds of the Dandy Warhols, and sees the band adding new flavors to their trademark mix of seamless rock hooks, turned-on drone, deep psychedelia and a big shot of the country blues. There's also a feel good factor to this album and all the seriousness of band that has integrity, good musicianship and a point to prove in a time where bands seem to have a short shelf life. Over a decade in the game and the Dandy Warhols still sound like they're having a ball: either it's something they put in the water in Portland, Oregon, or the drugs are still most definitely working. This album won’t change your life, its not revolutionary, it is simply a return to form done in the most glorious and kaleidoscopic way.