Elliot
The Letter Ostrich
"Motocross Be Thy Name" CDR
Asaurus
Records
Genres: synth-pop, lo-fi
Asaurus Records
PO Box 0664
Allen Park MI
48101-0664
Apr 19 - 25 2004 |
I love Nintendo. It is no secret. I, Matt Shimmer, editor
of Indieville and famed music critic, love Nintendo.
Specifically old Nintendo - NES, SNES, Gameboy, the works. Even
N64. But not Gamecube. Anyhow, I bring this up because Elliot The Letter Ostrich,
Asaurus' premiere DIY synth-pop act, has gone ahead and designed this
release as a Super Nintendo cartridge. And that just puts a smile on
my face. So right from the get-go, I wanted to like this album.
And, though I was surprised, I was by no means disappointed.
This CDR album is an amazing artifact in lo-fi, electronic-based pop
music. ETLO's style is truly unusual, though infectious and
happy enough to intrigue even the most conformist listeners. The
format is simple: electronic beats, synthy melodies (often influenced
by numerous Nintendo game soundtracks,) and spirited, youthful
vocals. "Tanooki Power Up and the Responsibility That
Follows" is a fine example - synth-pop beats and cute 8-bit
synths are laid under a playful, hometaper-style vocal part. It
sounds like an early Human League demo.
There are many other highlights to this CDR, as well. "8
Bit Commitment, 32 Bit Break Up" is a clever tune that combines
videogame terminology with the break-up blues ("It's enough to
say I'm sorry...it's enough to say game over.)
"I Want to Love You, But I'm Too Busy Fighting These Nebulous
Bees," on the other hand, is a cute, Nintendo-esque love song.
These songs are brief, cute, and loads of fun. Lo-fi synth-pop
isn't all that common, but Elliot The Letter Ostrich are
leading the charge.
87%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: tracks, distributed by the
label, released 2003] |