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Phantogram have put forth a collection of heady and stimulating songs primed for in-the-dark listening.
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A refreshing, unusual and diverting first record from two new talents, then, and one to recommend for jaded electro and indie fans who felt the New York scene had gone as far as it could with art-skronk.
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From the hip-hop loops and grungy, Dust Brothers-style synths of "Running from the Cops," to the new wave balladry of "All Dried Up," and the trip-hop cool of "You Are the Ocean," these are kinds of left-of-center pop tunes that, in the mid-'90s, could have sneaked their way onto Top 40 and modern-rock playlists (which were basically the same thing back then).
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Often gorgeous and never soothing, the damaged pop on Phantogram's mesmerizing debut is pure nightmare fuel.
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Alternative PressAlongside Barthel's sweet kiss-off in "Mouthful Of Diamonds," Carter's tortured lead vocals on "You Are The Ocean" keep the rest of Eyelid Movies brimming with palpable sexual tension until the closing credits. There had better be a sequel. [Mar 2010, p.95]
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Eyelid Movies is a nostalgia trip at heart, but it isn’t a lifeless pastiche by any means. The amount of care the duo gives to the arrangements, the subtle and successful blending of influences, and above all, the high quality of the songs and performances, mean that the record is a success on its own terms.
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Eyelid Movies ultimately has more atmosphere than songs, but for a band goin’ down the road to see Beth Gibbons, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
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The skills Barthel and Carter possess at creating this kind of sound with just a keyboard and guitar, as well as the two bandmate's longtime personal chemistry, points to a promising future. Professionally, however, Eyelid Moves is something of a stumble out of the gate.
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In practice and in total, Eyelid Movies isn’t a contrarian or particularly abrasive debut—it’s entirely likable, paced well and efficiently, dishing out a little something for everybody but never seemingly exhausted by this task.
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The best bits of Eyelid Movies show range and attention to detail, so it's hard to care when they downshift into waves of serpentine sound. Eyelid Movies is a sumptuous, seductive record, easy to let fall into the background, sure, but easier still to fall into.
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Ultimately, Eyelid Movies is more a scene-setter than a full-fledged album, but it's an interesting update on a sound, from upstate no less.
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Eyelid Movies does what good albums ought to do: it fabricates a little musical universe, complete with its own weather (cold fog, blistering sun), settings (seedy clubs in the San Fernando Valley, the backseats of black cars), and moods (paranoia, sexual ecstasy, hungover ennui).
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It should be noted that Eyelid Movies owes a great deal to Portishead's entire catalogue in terms of song structure, phrasing, and instrumentation. This might rub some folks the wrong way, but this album still manages a unique, cohesive sound that definitely merits investigation.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 33 out of 35
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Mixed: 1 out of 35
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Negative: 1 out of 35
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Oct 19, 2016
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Jul 11, 2012
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Feb 18, 2012