Is The Third Time Really A Charm?
Unknown Mortal Orchestra:
Multi-Love (8.8/10)
To answer the question above, it depends on what you are expecting out of this project. If you are looking for more psych-pop fun with more polish, then this is their best work to date. However, if you prefer a more stripped back and lo-fi style of recording then this one might not hit you as hard as the band's previous work. Unknown Mortal Orchestra have been an exciting name in psychedelic and indie music over the past couple of years, mainly due to their great first two releases: Unknown Mortal Orchestra and II. Both of these releases were very charming and simple, but they also were unique. UMO had a kind of endearing sound to them. The Lo-Fi recording was perfect for their melancholy tunes. II was a huge step up album from them, and coming off that I was really excited for the future of the band. On Multi-Love the band has made some big adjustments, but ultimately has reinforced my interest in the band.
This album, as stated before, is much higher-fidelity than the band's prior work. I was initially a little weirded out by the fact that muffled-dirty sound had been cut from the band, but I also was excited to hear the band in a new a light. Well, I had no reason to worry because this new slick and clean UMO is very exciting. The title track Multi-Love embraces the sound change with much more present drums and keyboards. The track sounds sexier, but also more desperate than UMO ever has. It also has a great hook that will stick in your head all day. Like Acid Rain is another energetic diddy that feels very fresh. This track's hook seems kind of silly with all the la-la-la las, but it kind of just adds to the fun nature of the record. This track feels like an older UMO track in that it is very close the band's psych-pop style. I liken it a lot to a track on II called One at a Time. Can't Keep Checking My Phone introduces some nice percussive grooves that are kind of foreign to the band, and it feels way funkier than anything they've ever done. I think this album embraces funk a lot more than their prior works. Extreme Wealth and Casual Cruelty is a more psychedelic track that has a very loose structure. The track kind of floats around a lot, and that is what draws me into it so much. It sounds also, in production, a lot like their earlier works, but is much more far out instrumentally. Stage or Screen is another nice track, but it is probably overshadowed by the last two tracks of the album. Necessary Evil has a very retro vibe to it, and I love the hook here. The horns also add a little bit off kick to a pretty catchy tune. This tune reminds me of something Al Green would sing, it just has a lot of soul and I love it. The last track, Puzzles is a 7 minute track that takes you on a journey. The track is probably among the band's best works thus far, and it closes out the album in a much more triumphant manner than what is usual for this band.
Overall, this album is another must get. While I do miss somethings from the band's other albums such as intimate guitar riffs, and more simple instrumentals, I really like how this new album came together. It is more complete than their other works, and it has no really weak tracks, which is not something I can say about their first two. This album grooves so much better than anything else they've ever done, and overall I am really pleased with how this band has evolved. I hope they can continue to get better and better.
Best Tracks: Multi-Love, Like Acid Rain, Can't Keep Checking My Phone, Extreme Wealth and Casual Cruelty, Necessary Evil, Puzzles
Worst Tracks: The World Is Crowded, Stage Or Screen
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