Visiter
In this stunning follow-up to the Dodos’ humble (by comparison) debut *Beware of the Maniacs*, Logan Kroeger attacks the drums more ferociously and Meric Long is unafraid to let his talented fingers take on some complex guitar work, while pianos and other stringed instruments (plus some gentle distortion and reverb) fill the spaces other duos might leave open. The soft gallop and toy pianos of “Red and Purple” and fuzzy slide guitar on “Paint the Rust” are some of the little treasures the listener comes across on *Visiter*, while the stark acoustic guitar and bare drums on tracks like “Eyelids” serve as palate cleansers. The song “Fools” is a spectacular display of the new take on folk-pop in the indie-rock world, with Long’s voice holding onto a roiling lyric melody and his hands furiously strumming an acoustic guitar, while Kroeger’s sticks keep time on the rims and his bass tom stomps wildly. The everything-but-the-kitchen sink approach on “Joe’s Waltz” not only works, but serves as the heart of *Visiter*, from which the life-blood of every other track pumps. Neo-folkie Laura Gibson contributes vocals to several songs.
Despite a stripped-down setup of just acoustic guitar and drums, this Bay Area duo hits with a full-band force. Visiter, their Frenchkiss debut, has garnered comparisons to Animal Collective and new-primitivist bands like High Places and Yeasayer.
Right about the time disgruntled critics started complaining about contemporary white indie-rock being too white and indie-rock-ish, African music emerged as the influence du jour for bands that might have sounded more like The Shins five years ago. On Visiter, San Francisco's The Dodos marry accessible folk-pop…
Logan Kroeber’s drums don’t just provide the backbone to the album, they’re the central nervous system.