The Disco Biscuits Planet Anthem Review
While album reviews typically fall under the domain of the Glide main page, we’ve decided to make a very rare exception to review the Disco Biscuits long awaited LP, Planet Anthem, which comes out on Tuesday.
The Disco Biscuits have never been afraid to polarize, and make no bones about it, with Planet Anthem they are about to do it again. Upon a first pass of the LP, listeners will ponder a slew of questions in trying to digest the new release from the Philly electro-jam act. Is this an identity crisis or a reinvention? Who did they make this album for? Did everyone agree to this?
With a bouillabaisse of sound chock full of club bangers, auto-tuned hip hop, thrash romps, Radiohead-eqsue introspectives and synth-laden techno grooves, the visceral reaction screams, “Oh my god, they made album for undulating dudes in banana hammocks at the Jersey Shore.” At first, these songs seem better suited to be played by a toned-up MC than by a musical ensemble who wields jaw-dropping instrumental command and improvisational prowess.
You have to sit with it. Once the shock value wears down, the album grows on you.
Ironically, despite all the guest vocalists and auto-tuning, both of which likely cater to the frequent quips about the quality of the Disco Biscuits’ singing abilities, the song The City, stands out as the best track on the album with Marc Brownstein’s vocals coming as a total breath of fresh air. The song also holds most true to the title of the record, as it contains the most distinctive melody, stellar production, and heavy doses of “oohs” and “aahs” to capture the cathartic, anthemic spirit that the Biscuits so successfully developed throughout the years.
Uber Glue hits it right with a deep trance groove emblazoned with bouncing delay effects and sweeping synthesizer soundscapes, while Konkrete brings about an abandoned industrial setting akin to a deserted parking lot with an apocalyptic narration coming over the intercom telling stragglers they had best go home before it gets too dangerous. Sweatbox provides an amped-up face-rager based on a saw wave synth line, deep bass thuds, anxiety-evoking lead guitar, and hip hop lyrics. Finally, Big Wrecking Ball displays one of guitarist Jon Gutwillig’s slickest guitar riffs to date.
The number that has everybody talking about the band going all MTV, On Time featuring Tu Phace, delivers what it set out to do; knock off Kayne West. Using the familiar mainstream radio dance single formula, the Biscuits may finally have their hit. Essentially, folks who like Kanye will probably dig this song. It’s catchy and danceable, if not for everyone – and probably not for die hard fans.
The album does succeed as a total package, albeit in an interesting way. When we asked above “Did everybody agree to this?” the answer might actually be “no.” Between the distinct variations in direction, this album could well be a real life Quadrophenia with the different segments reflecting the various members of the band’s respective sonic personalities. In effect, the band gives listeners a lot to think about in navigating the new sounds. Is this Magner’s influence with the pop dance tracks? Did Brownie bring the hip hop? Is Barber going back to writing songs like the material on Uncivilized Area?
The one major critique that runs throughout is that the album would be better served if it incorporated more space. It’s no secret that the Disco Biscuits love synthesizer tones, but they need to be more discerning. Many of the tracks feel overly busy. Sure, it’s fun to listen to this stuff on headphones and all and it works in small doses, but it goes overboard.
Thankfully, they do include some beautiful interlude songs, including another of the big album highlights, Fish Out of Water, a pretty song not entirely unlike an understated Penny Lane. Keyboard player, Aron Magner, contributes a gorgeous, classical piano segment and Gutwillig rips one of the finest solos of the album over a creative key-changing chord progression.
Despite some gripes here and there, the key takeaway from Planet Anthem is that this is a highly commendable project. It requires listening objectively as opposed to that of a fan – particularly for those familiar with the live material – but the Disco Biscuits excel once again in doing something very few jambands do: they crafted an album that is not a watered-down extension of the live setting, but rather a totally distinctive stand-alone project.
So often in the genre, the studio album serves as a lifeless recreation of the same songs fans know far too well, but Planet Anthem is something totally different and they took a lot of chances. Not everything on the album works and the album will likely appeal more to new fans than old, but cheers to the band for going out on a limb, way out. It’s like the old cliché, “you can’t win if you don’t put anything in the middle.” On Planet Anthem, the Disco Biscuits went all in.