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Autolux Future Perfect

Autolux: Future Perfect

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by Dom Gourlay
Like an exocet careering through the darkness, Los Angeles trio Autolux have seemingly exploded from out of nowhere with a sound that owes more to Berkshire 1991 than NYC 2001. Future Perfect is littered with some pretty obvious reference points, but like all good history lessons, when the tutor gets it spot on, the pupils are in for a ball.

Sure enough, it would be easy to list the more common denominators such as My Bloody Valentine's 'Loveless' or Sonic Youth's 'Bull In The Heather', but let's give credit where it's due. Autolux have clearly been to the back of beyond and back again in search of their forefathers, and in the ethereal madness of 'Angry Candy' and 'Capital Kind Of Strain' one can almost picture the rehearsal room last summer whilst this record was being constructed flaking out to the sounds of the Drop Nineteens' 'Delaware' opus in the background.

What sets Autolux apart from a number of their contemporaries in the fuzz'n'feedback revival is that rather than keep to the age-old chagrin of fast-slow-quiet-loud IN THAT ORDER (TM) they simply swoon until the bowels of their heart are empty than bang... hit that G-spot straight between the eyes like a supersized sledgehammer on day release from Quantum Leap.

Lyrically, Autolux might not win a Booker literary prize but consider this: would you rather some earnest bore lope on over an acoustic guitar and piano or have the harmonious choral cry of "Shake shake, shake the clouds out / shake shake, shake the stars down" over a tumultuous hail of distortion and bluesy feedback? Exactly. Case closed.

As an album Future Perfect demands to be heard in it's entirety, so much so that it would be almost sacrilege to rip any singles off here, although 'Blanket' and 'Here Comes Everybody' do have a certain radio-friendly sheen about them. If Autolux are to be considered as part of this so-called "nu-gazing" scene, then Future Perfect clearly has it's eyes focused on the stars rather than its feet.

  • Autolux 8 / 10

Autolux - Future Perfect

I can't wait to get this. Really hoping i'm not gonna be disappointed.

Autolux - Future Perfect

I have OceanRain to thank for recommending this album to me. IMHO it deserves 5 stars... one of the best albums i've heard in a while.

Autolux - Future Perfect

the drumming on 'turnstile blues' is rather immense. this sounds intriguing.

Re: Autolux - Future Perfect

I agree- Carla's drumming for Turnstile Blues live is even better! But my favourite song *has* to be Here Comes Everybody- such a beautiful song.

xMx


Autolux - Future Perfect

There's a "nu-gazing" scene now? So we've done eighties, now we're end of eighties/early ninetines. Sounds like if you're starting a band and want to get signed in a couple of years, it's time to take some influences from mid-nineties Britpop!

Re: Autolux - Future Perfect

what are the kaiser chiefs or kasabian if they're not mid ninties britpop?

the nu-gazing lot will never be as shallow/bad as all the post-libertines bands, all that lot are dire.

anyway, this album reminds me of sonic youth far more than any shoegazing band anyway, flippin' ace!

Re: Autolux - Future Perfect

Yeah, I totally hear Sonic Youth.
Yeah.
BYE.

Re: Autolux - Future Perfect

have you actually listened to this album?

you're too young to remember when all this stuff was around before anyway. unfortunately i'm not...

Re: Autolux - Future Perfect

But surely you'd rather have a recycled Loop, Chapterhouse or Slowdive than the boring workmanlike "originality" of Coldplay and Keane?
Please tell me YES!!!

Re: Autolux - Future Perfect

absolutely, i flippin' love all them bands.


Re: Autolux - Future Perfect

Have I listened to this album?
Yeah lots and lots and lots.

Re: Autolux - Future Perfect

please don't call it 'nu-gazing'

Re: Autolux - Future Perfect

it's not nu-gaze. i don't see where people are getting this comparison from.

it's more like the new york sound of the late 80's. it sounds absolutely nothing like anything from the original shoegaze scene.

Autolux - Future Perfect

Wheres Loop when you need em? ;)

Autolux - Future Perfect

Wow! We've had this for forever over here. Its just now being released in the UK? Its really one hell of a work.

Autolux - Future Perfect

I did actaully listen to it last night, ithink there ws a track called 'Blanket' that blew me away. Great stuff.
Their name sounds like a vacuum cleaner company tho :P

Autolux - Future Perfect

It's a wonderful album. Wears its influences on its sleeve, but the drums elevate the whole thing from being merely very good indeed to unfettered loveliness.

Autolux - Future Perfect

indeed this is a great album. one of the better 'nu-gazer' albums for certain. the the term is fcking ridiculous.

Autolux - Future Perfect

What about Jimmy choogazing? I gotta agree with Brusma, the western music scene is recycling itself at a scary rate and most of it is coming back up the shitter.

Autolux - Future Perfect

it would be lush if there was a 'nu-gazing' scene though. but, actually...i don't want anything to ever taint loveless. and a modern scene might just do it...

lets just keep the revival to autolux and sennen.

Autolux - Future Perfect

It is great this lp, i actually played it last night and it's soemthing else. Really Cool sound, like JAMC meets sonic youth

Autolux - Future Perfect

*Yawn*

Autolux - Future Perfect

Actually i forgto id already heard this a few days before, well spotted.

*yawn* to you too

Autolux - Future Perfect

Raanraals,
Judging by your profile I would've thought this'd been right up your street, seen as you like Sonic Youth and all that stuff.
Why exactly did you *yawn*... can you enlighten us please?