Odyssey
Much has happened since 2002, when Fischerspooner released their breakout record#1. If that album’s computerized fine art was a trip back to the '80s, another time warp might be necessary to sustain any momentum forOdyssey. The dance music muse, always in motion, has backed off on the electro/new wave sound that Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner used as a platform for their experimental live shows. Upon first listen, it sounds like the duo has chosen to ignore this; ifOdysseyisn’t a clone of#1, it’s at least a close relation. There are, however, crucial and clever differences. The record is much friendlier for one thing, a result of warmer sonics and an unclenched pop sense that was only hinted at previously. "Just Let Go" starts off with a familiarHuman Leaguekeyboard, but right in the middle of the chorus a jagged, garage band guitar riff smears the song’s makeup. Suddenly you don’t recognize them anymore. Where’s that sexy, but vacuous pose Fischer and Spooner used to lean on? There’s no pretension in a song like "A Kick in the Teeth," with its layered and lovely vocal line. Our cheese is now served straight up. The result? Tasty.--Matthew Cooke