I hate the constant references to other bands Autolux seems to receive. Take Pitchfork for instance, with their review for this album being a complete name-dropping pissing contest of “more musically knowledgeable then thou art”. To be fair, its about as easy to poke fun at Pitchfork as it is hard to classify Autolux's sound; perhaps this is why people are so quick to mention other bands that Autolux parallel. so while I could easily drop a list of bands they do in fact draw similarities to, its sort of insulting to deny such an interesting group its own identity. Plus, giving people a place to put their expectations in is the exact reason Sputnikmusic is kind enough to offer the “recommended by reviewer” list to the right of all reviews, so glance at that if you must know who they sound like.
Autolux strive to piece together a web of different noises, ranging from blips and bleeps to distorted guitar fuzz and string-breaking strumming to pop-based vocal harmonies, in order to create a package much greater than the sum of its parts. While it could be argued that almost every band that has ever existed aims to do the same,
Pussy's Dead is comparable to the workings of an iPhone. The product shipped on the market is a sleek and ergonomic marvel of engineering, but rip apart the aesthetically pleasing and curving outer shell to find a Frankenstein amalgam of metals and plastics I'm almost positive you'd never care to look at, let alone understand what they do. Well the shell of the iPhone can be directly measured to the easy-to-swallow pop elements Autolux have nailed down to a science, with the vocal harmonies and hooks as catchy as you can find while not being bland or overly simplified. Yet this aspect is one of the only accessible components of
Pussy's Dead. Greg Edwards offers his nearly patented expertise at making awesome and very loud effects with electronic string instruments, providing a much appreciated shoegazing aesthetic to the album. Take the ending of Listen to the Order as an example, with a wall of noisy feedback so perfectly placed that it manages feels like it took talent to create. The bass is as essential as you'd expect from a three piece, and Eugene Goreshter pulls his weight and then some with his plodding rhythms.
The prominent piece to the puzzle is the electronic elements that the band applies liberally. In fact
Pussy's Dead arguably forsakes the more obvious shoegaze homages abundant on their debut LP
Future Perfect for a generally greater focus on the glitchy sounds explored on
Transit Transit. Make no mistake, this is a rock album, but one that sounds like it was crafted by rampant artificial intelligence. There is a cold and very calculated feel to Autolux's sound, and
Pussy's Dead only builds upon it. The synthetic elements mimic the sounds of greased up, sliding metal planes and the wiring of servo motors. These electronica components can be purposefully grating, but never venture into an industrial realm of grime and smoke. Its an overall smooth experience riding upon the eclectic ambitions of the band, ideas that they pull off remarkably well. Coinciding with these mechanical sounds is the ace production inherit in the nature of Autolux's attack on crafting an album. As if the merits of Greg Edwards' producing skills found in his work with Failure were not enough, the renown producer Boots had more than a fair share of influence in the final stages of the recording and mixing process. In fact, its often times ridiculous to accurately figure out how certain sounds made it to the album, especially when fans have offered solutions such by reversing and editing pitch in order to create a recognizable source.
One of the most noticeable elements to the album, and the band in general, is the amazing percussion provided by Autolux's drum machine… and when I say drum machine, I actually mean one of the best female drummers ever put to record. Carla Azar's drumming is so prolific and technical that its hard to distinguish it from the kaleidoscopic electronic effects strung throughout the album. This blurred line between human and machine actually seems to be a focus of what Autolux is striving for, with pitch-altered vocals and music videos of humanoid animations that walk as organically as they do robotically. Carla's drumming prowess is just fuel to this fire. Extremely rhythmic and machine like perfection match the claustrophobic wiring of the endless layers of
Pussy's Dead's mix. A definite highlight of the listening experience to say the least and an obvious strong point in all of Autolux's work.
All in all,
Pussy's Dead is remarkably well executed adventure for Autolux, a band that has raised eyebrows from big names such as Trent Reznor and Thom Yorke. Rightfully so, because the music they've created is a unique and rewarding experience to both the band and the listeners they've reached. So while you'll probably hear a massive amount of comparisons to other bands and a seemingly endless list of genres Pussy's Dead falls under, just take that as note of how wide spread their sound truly is, and the difficulty found in declaring a home for these guys. Which in its own right could be enough to warrant a listen from you, because maybe you'll be able to catalog them without effort and put an end to the silent debate.
