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Air

The Virgin Suicides

Still glowing from the surprise success of their 1998 American debut, Moon Safari, and the warm reception that greeted their recently-released collection of early singles, Premiers Symptomes, Jean-Benoit Dunckel and Nicolas Godin of the French band Air have teamed up once again to pen the score for Sofia Coppola's upcoming film, The Virgin Suicides. While the results of this latest collaboration are less diverse stylistically than their past projects, the duo has managed to produce another record of stunning, swirling melodies and richly textured mood music. They have also cemented their status as pioneers of popular electronica, worthy to be included in the group of rising industry stars that already boasted the veteran talents of Moby, Fatboy Slim and the Chemical Brothers.

As usual, Dunckel and Godin color their latest masterpiece with the same Fender pianos, Moogs, Mellotrons and clavinets that once produced the dreamy atmosphere of their very first single, "Modular Mix," and the energetic rhythms of Moon Safari. The album begins with "Playground Love," a fairly conventional bit of smooth, jazzy pop featuring vocalist Gordon Tracks, whose lush voice blends effortlessly into the mix, drowning in a sea of saxophones and synthesizers. "Love" introduces the haunting riff that emerges as the recurring theme of the album, but it is not until the third track, "Bathroom Girl," that The Virgin Suicides truly comes alive. Like its companion piece, "Cemetery Party," "Girl" is irresistible, featuring some of the most memorable melodies Air has to offer. It is slow, hypnotic and captivating, reminiscent of "J'ai Dormi Sous L'eau," the tour de force from Premiers Symptomes.

That is not to say, however, that The Virgin Suicides is a monotonous retread of the band's past glories. Despite the fact that their creative impulses are undoubtedly constricted by the requirements of a standard film score, Dunckel and Godin branch into some new territory on their third release, relying more than ever before on electric guitars and orchestral arrangements to recreate the progressive rock sound that underscores much of the film. Furthermore, the duo does a nice job of manipulating the mood of the album and the pace of the film. "Dirty Trip," for instance, is a slinky, seductive instrumental that sounds as if it might have been lifted from the soundtrack of a low-budget porn flick; meanwhile, "Dead Bodies" is a frenzied piece that leads nicely into the album's rousing conclusion, the epic "Suicide Underground." "Underground" is a disturbing piece that combines droning, melancholy synthesizers with the morbid prose of Jeffrey Euginides, whose 1993 novel Virgin Suicides served as the inspiration for the upcoming motion picture. As such, it is easily the emotional highlight of the record.

It is often difficult to put into words just how beautiful and unsettling the music on The Virgin Suicides can be, but it is safe to say that the album is a fitting addition to the Air catalogue. To be sure, not all of the tracks can match the power and intensity of cuts like "Bathroom Girl" and "Suicide Underground," but Dunckel and Godin deliver a consistently strong performance on their third full-length release, one that will certainly whet the appetites of even their most demanding fans. The duo has now proven that their initial success was no fluke; now, followers of this pioneering band can only await their true follow-up to Moon Safari, due this autumn. -Rossiter Drake

The Anniversary

Designing a Nervous Breakdown

A funny thing happened to pop music last year. Respect went down. Sure, some might argue that Britney Spears tried to set a good example for her fellow high school peers by promoting school spirit, clad in a mini skirt and pom-pom pony-tails, toting a song daring us to hit her, baby, one more time. But for the most part, pop crossed the cutesy line just a little bit too far. Unfortunately, alternative rock hardly had a counter punch; the Foo Fighters' There is Nothing Left To Lose was about the only quality sideshow.

Thankfully, it looks as though indie rock might finally be pulling its own weight in the fight for feel-good pop. The Anniversary, hailing from Lawrence, KS, have released a ten song pop record free of those sappy teenage ballads, but not without its own sophomoric charm. The opener, "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter," instills almost an anthem-like feeling amidst heavily-distorted pick slides and verse-yelling. And yet they somehow manage to pull off their raw grittiness amidst those accompanying "woo-oos" thanks to token female member Adrianne Verhoeven. We can also thank Verhoeven for those retro-fitted keyboard tracks, which would almost sound innovative if it wasn't for bands like The Rentals having done it first. Don't get me wrong: the Anniversary don't sound like they're trying to pull something off with a cooler-than-thou smirk at their competitors. The logic is simple: they've got keyboards; they know how to use them ; they're hip. And besides, it makes those auto-pilot drum tracks so much easier to sing along to when they've got some fuzziness in the background.

Designing a Nervous Breakdown is not without its touching moments, either. There's something about not-yet mature pop musicians that leaves a warm fuzzy feeling just behind the ears, when you're caught singing along to songs like "The D in Detroit," with heart-felt croons of "girl" thrown in every other chorus for good measure. What with the popularity explosion of label-mates and regional neighbors The Get Up Kids, whose recent 120 Minutes segment made them look a little younger than they actually are (but charming all the same), Kansas could very well be the next post-Oberlin hub for the hip. Who wants to move?

- Lauren Viera