Weekly Release Spotlight: Celebration
Posted on 10/29/2007
The Modern Tribe
[4AD]
When it comes to bringing haunting and empowering female voices in rock music to the public ear, the legendary UK record label 4AD has never failed to deliver. From their ethereal beginnings of Dead Can Dance and Cocteau Twins to the boisterousness of The Breeders and Throwing Muses, a potent synthesis of the two influential sounds has been over twenty years in the making. So it's quite apropos that the Baltimore trio who call themselves Celebration are the fore bearers of this joyous blend of the ghostly and the confident.
Quietly colorful organs and cloudy guitar howls lay the groundwork for Katrina Ford's seductive ululations, together constructing a solid wall of atmospheric melodies that firmly places The Modern Tribe in the playlist that treats your ears rather than destroys them. That is, until the suspenseful second cut "Pressure" glides up with a creeping coyness that hints at a darker, yet still somehow playful side to Celebration. It's all a part of the outfit's tricky and eclectic jubilation of moody rock and roll. The vibrant horn section in "Heartbreak”"does nothing to prepare you for the vampiric spookiness alive (or undead) in the beastly "Pony" and "Wild Cats," but the album's endeavors into the darkness pop up throughout without being erratic or out of place.
With all of the semi-maniacal bells and whistles sprinkled throughout, the eleven tracks' cohesiveness credit should probably be given to producer Dave Sitek, aka spacey guitar sheen guru from NYC's TV on the Radio. His band's records largely capitalized on the effectiveness of balancing the ear-catching with a unique underworld aesthetic, so why should he not help out a similarly-minded act? Celebration definitely benefit from Sitek's presence on their sophomore effort, but the band themselves have also learned to inject their unbeatable brand of assaultive hooks and undying energy with a calm coolness not found on their debut. This is the Celebration that the world has been waiting for - score another for 4AD.
Written by Chris Polley
Stream: Celebration - Evergreen