AA SOUNDSYSTEM
Laissez Faire
Saved by Radio/ New Saskatchewan Records
· The two faces of AA Soundsystem.
When describing AA Soundsystem, I often tell people they sound like Neil Young meets The Postal Service. It’s not a perfect simile, but it’s the fastest way to describe the blend of epic power-folk with glitchy laptop noise and delicate pop. With the help of producer Danny Michel, their latest album Laissez Faire brings those two extremes closer together – and further apart.
The new record, while a completely accurate representation of the band, is nothing like their live sound. In concert, the Soundsystem are a massive musical force, with big solos and big harmonies to match. Conversely Laissez Faire capitalizes on the band’s intimacy, their rock-solid chops and guitarist Lane Arndt’s mesmerizing lyrical prowess. "No Difference" offers a raw slice of chugging rock, but gems like "Sooner or Later" which loop back on themselves with hypnotic beauty are the rule, not the exception. Album opener "I Don’t Get You at All" tells the story best with a melancholy smirk, a shimmering guitar lead and a singalong chorus. It’s delicate, haunting and charming in a way few records ever manage to be. Still, no amount of superlatives are going to do Laissez Faire justice. Just experience it for yourself.
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