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Pedals

 
Album Review: Pedals

  • Artist: Aluminum Group
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: August 24, 1999
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

Pedals fulfills the immense promise of the Aluminum Group's previous recordings, largely dispensing of the derivative synth-pop detours which hampered the preceding Plano to concentrate instead on the lush, darkly romantic, orchestral arrangements distinguishing the band's finest work. Co-produced by Jim O'Rourke, whose own masterpiece Eureka the record most closely recalls, Pedals' grandiose designs become immediately apparent with the opening "Rose Selavy's Valise," a nine-minute pocket symphony and the most ambitious song Frank and John Navin brothers have created to date. This majestic but subtly-shaded epic builds with grace and precision, and its moody synth washes, shimmering guitars, and string and horn flourishes perfectly set the tone for the remainder of the disc. As before, the suave elegance and cool surfaces of Aluminum Group's compositions belie the poison-pen temperament of the brothers' lyrics; the withering putdowns and snarky come-ons from before are joined this time out by a surfeit of arch literary allusions, but the songs' scathing wit deflates even the loftiest pretensions -- not only is Pedals the band's most bitter pill yet, it's also the easiest to swallow. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Rose Selavy's Valise John Navin, Frank Navin Aluminum Group (9:20)
Lie Detector Test Frank Navin, John Navin Aluminum Group (3:19)
Paperback Frank Navin, John Navin Aluminum Group (4:35)
Easy on Your Eyes John Navin, Frank Navin Aluminum Group (4:33)
Miss Tate Frank Navin, John Navin, David August Aluminum Group (3:54)
Two-Bit Faux Construction Frank Navin, John Navin Aluminum Group (4:30)
A Blur in Your Vision Frank Navin, John Navin Aluminum Group (6:39)
Jinxed John Navin, Frank Navin Aluminum Group (4:11)
Impress Me John Navin, Frank Navin Aluminum Group (3:49)
$35 Frank Navin, John Navin Aluminum Group (5:51)

Credits

Jeb Bishop (Trombone), Rob Mazurek (Cornet), Edith Frost (Vocals (Background)), Sean O'Hagan (Banjo), Jim O'Rourke (Engineer), Liz Conant (String Arrangements), Alison Chesley (Cello), Sally Timms (Vocals (Background)), Jim O'Rourke (Horn Arrangements), Jim O'Rourke (Piano), Douglas McCombs (?), Douglas McCombs (Bass), Paul Mertens (Saxophone), Aluminum Group (Producer), Aluminum Group (Horn Arrangements), Jim O'Rourke (Guitar (Electric)), Frank Navin (?), Jim O'Rourke (Synthesizer), Mark Ward (Photography), Shelly Weiss (Viola), Jim O'Rourke (Vocals (Background)), Susan Voelz (Violin), Paul Mertens (Flute), John Navin (?), Jim O'Rourke (Producer), Edith Frost (?), Jeremy Lemos (Engineer), Roger Seibel (Mastering), Sean O'Hagan (?), Sally Timms (?)
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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more