SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DODOS – INDIVID

The Dodos
Individ
Polivinyl Records

Individ is the sixth studio album from The Dodos and was recorded hot on the heels of their last release, 2013’s Carrier. The 2013 release was an album that seemed haunted by the death of previous occasional contributing guitarist Chris Reimer. Invidid, by comparison, feels more like a follow-up to 2008’s Visiter.

The album opens with “Precipitation,” their toast to whatever the future may hold, with lyrics like “until now, there was a reason/ Let go of it/ It’s not relevant.”

“Goodbyes and Endings,” which falls right in the middle of the album, stands out among the rest of the songs, featuring multiple time signatures stitched together to create a complex yet catchy melody. The other standout track is “Competition,” which feels frenzied and  anxious with driving percussion and a confessional feel to the lyrics.

Though The Dodos haven’t produced a bad album to date, Individ can certainly be recognized as their first great album in quite some time.

– Alyson Shane (Twitter @alysonshane)