The new Enon album Grass Geysers. . .Carbon Clouds is still months away from its October 9th release date. IMPOSE co-publisher Gordon Downs recently got a sneak peek of the new album last week, and instead of waiting for the music to actually settle in before he could write a well informed analysis, he jotted down the first thing that came to his head and sent it down for publication. Here’s a brief synopsis of what he feels the album has to offer for first time listeners and die hard Enon fans.
Grass Geysers. . .Carbon Clouds – 36:26
1. Mirror On You – 1:47
Vocals: John. Bass funk. Funk that bass up. Where the funk you going with that bass? Get the funk outta here! Get outta my dream, get into my funk! This tastes funky? Play that funky music Schmersal. There’s indie funk too? It’s very apparent from the opening track that Enon did not forget the indie bass funk at home during these recording sessions.
2. Colette – 2:59
Toko lead vocals, with John handling backup vocals. Stutter-step indie rock that would be perfect to listen to during a flea flicker option on an upcoming edition of EA Sports Madden 2008.
3. Dr. Freeze – 2:07
Vocals: John. Really fast shit*. Classic Enon, you’ll dig this the most. This song reminds me of this Asian chick I wanted to fuck really bad. Last time I saw Enon, she and I posted up in the front row and rocked out together the entire night. She was engaged to this dude that’s like 6’7, so I dared not even blink at her the wrong way let alone attempt a pass at a sexual liaison. I mean his cock is more than likely the size of my forearm – I feel sorry for her sometimes. I mean c’mon man? She’s Asian.
4. Sabina – 3:07
Vocals: Toko. This sounds like a lost Kurt Cobain guitar lick complete with Fender squall and tremolo effect – traditional Enon break down with vocals layered on top of a rolling bass line.
5. Peace of Mind – 2:52
Vocals: John. Kind of sounds like an indie-rock-honky-tonk Tofurky eating contest. Schmersal’s attempt at being a greaser gone awry? Still quite delicious though.
6. Law of Johnny Dolittle – 2:52
Again with the indie rock funk? Drums and bass are rad as shit, but John’s vocals sound like Seth Jabour kicked him in the balls right before he recorded this vocal track. I hope those guys are bros again.
7. Those Who Don’t Blink – 1:40
Vocals: Toko/John. Thrashing punk song. Very straight forward punk rock from Enon. Every album should have a punk song. Heavy bass, very digable. Kudos for reference to anti-Christ as well. Actually, make that just one “Kudo.”
8. Pigeneration – 3:34
Vocals: Toko. Marching drum beat, crazy-ass effects, sporadic. Very epic. This is what a teenage goth girl hears in her head on the way to getting an abortion, because ultimately, when a teenage goth girl gets an abortion, it’s like a false field trip for her. This is something she’ll dig and will either look back on as a source of inspiration, or if not that then it will be her reason to gain weight, start sleeping with jocks and eventually start smoking heroin and listening to Fela Kuti and Astrid Gilberto.
9. Mr. Ratatatatat – 3:27
Vocals: Toko/John. Obvious shout out to Ratatat – screaming for some sort of remix treatment?
10. Paperweights – 3:41
Vocals: John. Right amount of synthesizer – very well placed throughout song – another classic Enon track.
11. Labryinth – 3:23
For the first 45 seconds I though this was a track off an Isaac Hayes album or like an audio sample from Shaft. Heavy bass (yet again). Toko on vocals. Very well placed guitars*.
12. Ashish – 4:30
Great way to end the album. Toko on vocals. This sounds the way Klonopin and Heineken feels–spacey–like drinking a lot of coffee then smoking heroin off a candle on Halloween; very dramatic and cool.
Through and through it’s another damn strong recording from Enon, although I personally feel the album title does not fit. Since there is an ample amount of time before the actual retail release date for both Enon and Touch & Go Records to read this, my recommendation for a new title of this album is, Enon Forcibly Shoves A Bass Guitar Up Your Ass. Hopefully these words will not fall upon deaf ears, as inevitably my suggestions are always based on the consumer aspect of the music; and the customer is always right. Enon should get together with Spoon and record an EP of nothing but bass guitar and hand claps. Now that’s an independent niche market that’s just dying to be exploited.
–Gordon Downs
