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Sonically, Rise Above is just another healthy dose of what Longstreth does best. Anomalous harmonies, quirky time signatures, and spontaneous rock-outs punctuate the album’s 11 tracks.
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The result is one of the most formally radical indie records in recent memory. It also happens to be Dirty Projectors’ all-around best, not least because it most closely recreates the kinetic force of their live performances.
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Dirty Projectors leader Dave Longstreth clearly had more than a remake on his mind--a mind whose wandering ways will be worth following for years to come.
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Rise Above will drop plenty of jaws, and, like Deerhoof, Dirty Projectors are restructuring rock on a compositional level rather than a sonic one.
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SpinIt just might be a masterpiece all over again. [Nov 2007, p.118]
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The WireIt's an extraordinary and compelling celebration of a hardcore punk classic. [Oct 2007, p.71]
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UncutIt's the clever orchestration that elevates this above postmodern gag, all fluttering pipes and chiming guitar. [Nov 2007, p.98]
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Dave Longstreth’s vision has always been determined and unique; it has never been this clear or viscerally exciting.
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Rise Above is deliberately challenging and obtuse; its ceaseless changes and refusal to settle are its most important similarities to Damaged's abrasive and exhaustive loudness. Translating Black Flag's anti-intellectual screed into arty free-jazz concept is one thing. That it actually merits repeat listens is another altogether.
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iT is the most focused art the Projectors have ever produced.
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One coup this unexpectedly friendly record makes me miss is when my favorite records used to have a string of highlights as moments rather than memorable refrains.
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Under The RadarThey comfortably hang in that frustrating chasm between jazz and pop. [Fall 2007, p.79]
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Maybe it doesn't have the relevance as the original album, and doesn't quite live up to the legacy, but it is intelligently composed and often moving.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 17 out of 23
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Mixed: 2 out of 23
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Negative: 4 out of 23
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MacMacApr 24, 2008
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ThomasKOct 7, 2007
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AlexFeb 23, 2009This album is fucking awful. Good reviews for horseshit like this are why music criticism is a dying art.