Press Play, Record

I'm still not sure about Atlas Sound's debut album, but I am fairly certain that Atlas Sound's "latest single" is pretty amazing. For those of us old enough to remember the era when a 7" single wasn't a promotional gimmick or an instant uber-rarity, Mr. Bradford Cox has given us a "virtual 7'," and darned if it isn't a nice little slice of virtual vinyl. The introduction of A-Side, "Bored Dub," had me thinking I was about to be encased in Vini Reilly-esque guitar solo. It didn't happen, but Bradford's singing is just as lovely. It's all a bit somnambulistic, with his voice blending in with the gentle melodies behind him. In a way, it reminds me of 50s-era doo-wop ballads; it doesn't have the harmonies, but it has the atmosphere. I can't really explain it, but tune in to Blues Before Sunrise and you'll hear music that sounds an awful lot like this. "No Longer" is an instrumental number, not unlike his recent album--a quiet, blissful passage, neither overbearing nor disconcerting. If anything, it has me crawling back to that album to give it a second chance...