Louis XIV - Air traffic control
Louis XIV - Sometimes you just want to
The latest Louis XIV album is different from their previous release. “The Best Little Secrets are Kept” was a throw back to garage rock and good ole fashioned rock and roll. Their latest album, “Slick Dogs and Ponies” is a little different. It’s a lot more staccato, edgier one might say. They also use a lot more strings, which is nice. Gives off more of a grand, sweeping feeling. The tracks are a lot more “dancier”; you’ll want to shake your ass more to these tunes. Not that their previous release wasn’t dancy; I could totally imagine a whole lot of people dancing their asses off to that album. This album just feels more dance oriented than the other one. There are also a couple of slower tracks on this album as well. But because they are slow does not mean they are “whimpy”. Far from it; when you listen to tracks such as “Misguided Sheep” it will feel like you’re on some sort of pirate ship, ready to bite off some other poor bastard’s ear. Or maybe it’s a song to get freaky to; just depends on how it moves you.
If I had to compare this album to other groups, I’d say that this album reminds me of the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Stooges, The Kinks, Elton John, David Bowie and various classical music artists. But they don’t sound like exact copies of these guys; you can just tell what they probably liked to listen to when they were kids.
The album starts out strong with “Guilt by Association”. As I said before, very staccato, with a fast beat. After the constant barrage of that which is “Guilt by Association” comes “Air Traffic Control”. This gives the listener a short breather, a chance to sip their cocktail. Because after this track comes a bombardment of four more dance till you drop tunes. When the album hits the song “Tina” the listener is ready for another short breather. “Tina” is definitely a disco/glam track; something that you could dance to, but also just enjoy as you rest. After “Tina” comes “Stalker”, which is an appropriate name for this song. The song gives off a total creeper cloak and dagger vibe; something James Bond’s creepy half brother with no game would listen to. “Free Won’t Be What it Used to Be” is riddled with strings, an acoustic riff and piano. It sounds like an “Abby Road” B-side. “Swarming of the Bees” sounds like something you’d listen to while galloping around on a horse while cracking a whip. The melody is very sweeping with a crack at the end; hence the whip vibe. The album ends with two long, slow songs titled “Hopesick” and “Slick Dogs and Ponies”. “Hopesick” is a great song for that slow drive on a bus/cab home from the party where you drank and danced yourself numb. It winds you down and helps you decompress with the help of strings, a slow and steady drum beat and soothing vocals. “Slick Dogs and Ponies” is the final song. It’s a simple, yet grand ending to a great album. This is a great song for when you’re finally drifting off to sleep, ready to be dead to the world for the next eight hours.
In the end, “Slick Dogs and Ponies” is a fantastic album. It borrows ideas from artists from the past, and adds on their own unique vibe. I’m not saying this album is un-original; far from it actually. Louis XIV takes classic forms and twists and turns the form into something completely different. You can tell where it came from, but it’s obvious that it is definitely not the same as its predecessor.
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