The Dodos - Visiter Album Review

Dodos
Visiter
French Kiss
Album Review

Who saw this one coming? An acoustic guitarist and a drummer, playing frenetic, trance-like folk, that is as compelling as any rock. Like a bluesier, edgier Sufjan Stevens, Dodos use banjo, fingerpicked guitar and animal, tribal drumming. Visiter could draw from anything between Bron-Y-Aur Stomp from Led Zeppelin III and the finer moments of Beirut's Gulag Arkestar, with swathes of New Orleans jazz, Akron/Family jubilation and subtle, joyful indie (think Death Cab in a good mood).

Winter is the most 'normal' of the tracks, and perhaps the best way in - there is absolutely no way that any fan of Beirut would not love this track, or this album. The drums are at the fore a la Battles, but the hypnotic, repetitive vocals add real class - this second album by Dodos shows a wonderful maturity to go with the wild abandon. Visiter is a small album to fall in love with in a big way.

Rating 9/10

Mike Rea