CD Review: The Dandy Warhols 'Earth to the Dandy Warhols'
CD Review: The Dandy Warhols 'Earth to the Dandy Warhols'

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Published: September 5, 2008

Alternative

(Beat the World/World's Fair)

The Dandy Warhols' last disc, "Odditorium or Warlords of Mars,” was a half-baked affair that proved resistant to love for even the die-hards and had earmarks of a good band throwing the game to get out of its Capitol Records deal. Well, mission accomplished: "Earth to the Dandy Warhols,” their first for World's Fair, offers reminders of why so many post-grunge power-poppers flocked to "Lou Weed” and "Ride” in 1995.

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"The World the People Together (Come On),” is the propulsive interstellar psychedelia the title advertises, and "Mission Control” is a four-on-the-floor New Wave stomper the band perfected on "Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia.” And Mark Knopfler and Heartbreaker Mike Campbell add dobro and banjo flourishes to the lovely, Little River Band-quoting "Love Song.”

But "Welcome to the Third World” seems intended as a parody of the Rolling Stones' "Miss You,” and hews so close to the original it plays like a bad cover. "Talk Radio” and "Beast of All Saints” are the requisite sludge droppings Warholians expect, and a 15-minute atmospheric coda, "Musee D'Nougat,” is a quarter-hour that cannot be salvaged. But strong tracks on "Earth to the Dandy Warhols” recall the band's better days, offering hope Courtney Taylor-Taylor and his art-damaged pop astronauts have found a steady orbit.

— George Lang

Related Topics: Science and Technology, Technology, Space Technology, Manned Space Flight