Air - Talkie Walkie

Air
Talkie Walkie
Astralwerks
Grade: A-

Coming off of 2003's conception album City Reading (Tre Storie Western) with writer Alessandro Baricco, Air (composed of Nicolas Godin and JB Dunkel) is back with a new and breathtaking studio album Talkie Walkie. When the second the first song "Venus" starts, you know that Air have lost nothing and, in fact, gained since their previous forays into genius.

Many people in the U.S. are familiar with Air's soundtrack for the amazing Virgin Suicides (2000), though less are aware of this French dynamic duo's previous work - Air's "Alone in Kyoto" appears in Sophia Coppola's second movie Lost in Translation. The record that placed Air on the map was Moon Safari in 1998. Back then I wasn't entirely listening to Air, I was only hearing them - a lot. They were on heavy rotation at the station I was at for like the whole year and so I heard tons from that record. Yet, probably like many others, I became intrigued with Air following the Virgin Suicides soundtrack. After diversifying their range through material like City Reading, two world tours with assorted members, a ballet and movie scores, Air seeks to correct for misperceptions from their previous studio album 10,000 Hz. Legend. Not that the album was wrong or ill-conceived, but many perceived it as too esoteric and lacking the drifting pop of before. Though true artists, Godin and Dunkel reach back to what made them them in the first place - or at least what everyone loves - on Talkie Walkie. Now we have ten tracks of electro-pop goodness as well as a bonus DVD entitled Electronic Performers composed of Air on tour. The DVD cuts five live performances with backstage footage during the summer of 2002 for a fan's delight.

As mentioned above, Talkie Walkie starts off on "Venus" with a slow acoustic and drums while heavenly vocals are laced on top. Midway through there is a electronic wave with accents and the basic beat underlying. "Cherry Blossom Girl" begins with male and female vocals accompanied by some woodwinds. "Run" is more robotic and electronic as it coasts along at a moderate tempo. More heaven comes from "Universal Traveler" - a song that parallels an electronic Belle and Sebastian. "Mike Mills" - entirely instrumental - sounds like some classical score that could be the soundtrack to a film like the Royal Tenebaums or anything by director Wes Anderson - maybe it will be. Although I hate the title to the song, "Surfing on a Rocket" is so incredibly catchy that you can't deny its power over you and is easily in the running for the best track. The vocals are at the boundary point of male ability before you reach the screaching phase - and yet are so warm and refreshing. "Another Day" falls off a bit from the first six and unfortunately sounds too close to filler for Air. Yet Air picks up the magic with acoustic guitars picking like mad and nearly annoying whistling on the instrumental "Alpha Beta Gaga." "Biological" begins with warm and watery electronics matched by similar vocals in Beatles-esque form - though a sinister element lies underneath. The record closes on the aforementioned "Alone in Kyoto." If you didn't see the film or if you missed the song - a barely-there sound penetrates for a minute before piano and beeping-type vocals come at you. This repeats before the finale where all we hear is waves.

As Air's return to the standard studio album, they excel and smoke in a big way. Although I don't know if I'd be able to stand through an Air concert without some serious sedatives and a nice chair, they will surely be attacking the stage to support this masterpiece. Not tested - though Air approves - this clear is a record to have on when in love. At the end of the day, this is some of the best electro-pop music on the planet.