- Artists:
- Cajun Dance Party »
- Label:
- XL Recordings »
"Music's for the ears, not for feeling our young flesh," declared Cajun Dance Party singer Daniel Blumberg - somewhat bafflingly - when an interviewer made reference to his band's precocity recently. It's not just soundbites like this that suggest he's overly fond of his own voice though. No, CDP's debut album provides further, ample proof of that.
Seeing as we're not supposed to talk about it, we won't offer his age as an excuse for the indulgent nature of his vocal performance on much of The Colourful Life. Instead, we'll question why anybody would go so far out of their way to sound like The Kooks' Luke Pritchard.
From the record's very first chorus ("So pick up the pace / And enjoy the race / Because nothingness is nice / And feel the dance / And feel the mood / While you're munching on that slice"), his words are delivered with the same kind of exceedingly well-mannered, self-satisfied affectation that hampers Pritchard's band who - like Cajun Dance Party - actually have some really decent melodies in place but possess an eminently punchable singer.
Similarly, he might well be a nice young man in person but on record Blumberg's persona just grates. "You're the catalyst that makes things faster / Amylase will dry off the plaster" he sings on previous single 'Amylase', a decent little indie-pop ditty, but why does he have to be so damn earnest?
'The Race' befalls a similar fate, as naive as it is 'Naive', hampered by keening, preening, foppish faux-sincerity. Even their best song, 'The Next Untouchable', soon grows tiresome, and if 'No Joanna' is intended as a tender, plaintive ballad it sure as hell doesn't deliver on account of Blumberg's sledgehammer-subtle delivery.
It's not a class thing, either: for sure, he sounds like the kind of boy who knows his way around a cheeseboard, and may indeed have friends called things like Tarquin and Sebastian, but it's the complete lack of soul in his voice that irritates rather than the idea that his parents' bank balance extends to several figures.
Annoying music is bad music, regardless of origin. The Enemy, say, aren't risible because they've graduated from the Coventry school of working class hard knocks, it's purely because their music sucks balls. And the fact their singer looks like a rat. Ditto The Courteeners. Middle-class kids pretending to be oiks? Not a problem. Second-rate Libertines cast-offs talked up as "the best album since Arctic Monkeys' first"? There's the line, Fray, you've crossed it.
This isn't a character assassination (honest), more an explanation why an album that's actually pretty accomplished, musically, should, in the end, prove so forgettable. Even though guitarist Robbie Stern's classical training has been put to good use with some of these arrangements ('Time Falls', 'The Hill, The View & The Lights' two particularly impressive examples), all too rarely are other band members allowed to shine.
The latter, indeed, is superb for its opening minute and forty seconds as keyboard player Vicky Freund sings delicate lead vocals over swooning melodies; it's ambitious, widescreen pop, like Mystery Jets stoking an (amusement) Arcade Fire - the sort of direction we hope they might pursue in the future, but for now we'll be giving both Cajun Dance Party's young flesh and their music a stoically wide berth.
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well said.
completely forgettable album. no wonder they're releasing two in one year. lets hope their second sounds completely different.
2x5=10
Yeah, I wasn't really convinced the hype was worth it when I heard this either. If the 2nd is like this too, at least they'll be able to say they got 10 points on DiS..!
It is entirely the singers fault though.
I seriously hate this album but that guitarist really is something. But the singer is just a joke, the way he acts on stage too- so disappointing. Not that I really care, but disappointing for the talented guitarist at least.
good review
they are very middle-class. fact. i think bombay bicycle club and them come from the same posh school. posh bastards. need some good working-class tunes.
they are very average and forgettable.
Actually
this is probably the first piece of bad press that Cajun Dance Party have ever had! At last, a little bit of reality.
*applause*
Exactly, they're pants. Cynical sounding little twat-faces. Can't believe Thom Yorke likes 'em.
"need some good working-class tunes"
Yeah, living a lie is much better I find.
I hope all the 'posh' talk is a joke, otherwise you really are a twat.
Don't forget...
Cajun Dance Party have only just finised their A-Levels so they're still relatively young and allowed to make mistakes, surely?
Give them room to develop instead of instantly blasting them.
^It's Tom Clarke!
Hey - at least there's no songs about castles!
yes, I was going to ask
i thought that mebbe there were two CJPs?
One who were amazing
and the one I keep hearing
ah but they're only 9
SO FUCKING WHAT
harrumph
room to develop is fine
but
alas
they are doing it on the spotlight
thus blowing their chances
14 minutes and 42 seconds
there is 18s left
if they use it super sparingly
they just might....
nah
theyre fucked
Hehe, you must be Cajun Dance Party's mommy
Unfortunately, Robb is right. But don't worry mum I'm sure the NME kids will love them to death.
it's a spot on review
when i saw them play the music was good(ish) and the guitarist clearly knows what he's doing, but the singer ruins it for me completely.
i met him too. he's a cunt.
erm..
rob is 24..if you look at this thing called a profile, it says it there...
aaand i liked Amylase, but it was all very.."kooksy"...(student, stoppy start, indie, pop-rock.....shit)
but i wont judge the album until i have downloaded it...illegally
Haha, you are blatantly friends and/or related to a member of the band
seeing as you only registered in order to post on this thread.
Actually, from the utterly pretentious style in which you write, you may even be the singer.
If so: you are a cock.
Thanks xx
absolutely awful review
but i do agree about the music
boring...
...boring boring band. they bored me to death when I saw them the first time. I can imagine how the whole album sounds.
Oh my goodness
using words like "thrice" and "tautological" really really does not make you sound clever, it makes you sound like a cock. A cock. A cock.
what a disgustingly classist review (and response)!
i agree with jakoma, and i really do in sense that you may or may not be joking. and if you arent then you are a twat! are radiohead middle class....YES are coldplay middle class.....YES are the kinks middle class.....YES but here's the dirty little secret...i KNOW rob webb, and he's about as middle class as can get! and if it werent for lack of musical talent
or maybe just for need for journalist lust, he'd probably love to be doing the things that these 17yr olds have been given the chance to do! sometimes D.I.S. in aint ALL bout foals! this is a great honest album from very honest and inexperienced bunch! if there wasnt so much hype, youd think much more differently, and thats prob why they are releasing 2 albums in one year, to extinquish and eradicate the doubters, and to get to a stage of musical perfection that the math geek music fans cant possibly put down or ignore! regardless of the 'class' issue its a pretty good album! and maybe if had been put out on transgressive or dis records youd maybe have learnt to love it!
Bless
you really got me there.
Oh dear me, I just realised that you said "one's", too. Oh dear oh dear. It probably impresses girls at least, you cute little faux-intellectual.
Listen
it's really really obvious that you like both Morrissey and literature, you really don't need to write like that in order to prove it.
Laura Marling is phone advert music. Cajun Dance Party are awful. If you really do love language so much, then why are you defending a band with such hideous lyrics? Although no, you registered on this website with the sole intention of attacking apparent "bad journalism". The only bad journalism on this entire website, of course.
Or maybe you simply can't bare to see your little Way Out West friends attacked in such a way? Shocking, simply shocking.
Oh and it appears that I am correct!
Just look at the single, lonely comment, my friend. Could the blogger have been a "jealous rasclart", or could he have perhaps been expressing an entirely valid (and from where I am standing, correct) opinion?
http://itsthenewthing.wordpress.com/2007/04/19/cajun-dance-party/
I find it quite depressing that you feel the need to slag off every writer who DARES speak a work against your/your friends band. I think it may be crucial for your future if you attempt to deal with these emotions while you're still young, because oversensitivity is a serious condition which could hinder your adult life in years to come.
Perhaps this website could help: http://www.2knowmyself.com/emotional_sensitivity
I feel that the style of writing is right up your street.
Yes, there we go
I am in a band, congrats, as you're so interested here is an excellent review we recently received on DIS: http://www.drownedinsound.com/event/view/34984
And I'm very glad you enjoyed our improvised, tongue in cheek rendition of Twist and Shout, it was fun to play.
And I also apologise for feeling angry enough to stoop as low as I did, but at least when I was slightly nosy it had a little bit of relevance to the argument.
But good music journalism isn't about "focusing on the positives"
it's about giving the reader a simple opinion, surely? Although for what it's worth, I don't think that Rob Webbs review is particularly great. But I wouldn't like every review I read to mask the actual truth because the writer was so desperate to "focus on the positives".
I wouldn't say New Vinyls are non achievers, we're just a local band, like the thousands of other people on this forum who are in local bands- we will, like so many other bands, be splitting up later this year as we all go our separate ways to university. We don't take it THAT seriously- we're a band from a city which no-one cares about, especially musically, so I'm very proud at what we've done in our short lifespan. It's nice that CDP are doing so well and everything, I'm personally not dedicated enough to enjoy being in a band full time- we went on tour once- it was fun but I'd never do it again. So I'm not really jealous...
And we've achieved a very positive review on DIS, so it's 1-0 there, Cajuns.
7 out of 10...
...I'd say it was more "average" than a clear score. Haha.
Anyway, yes, I'm sure Cajun Dance Party will have lots of things about them on DIS, as they are signed to XL records and are a very popular band! Good for them and everything. To stay on topic, I don't think the review is attention seeking and envious, I think it's brutally honest. It sums up the thoughts which many people have on CDP, thought which have never been voiced before because of the UK (read=London) music press' adoration of CDP over the last year. I think it was quite a brave review to write, and it certainly seems that most people on here agree with it. Not that I'm criticising you for not agreeing- I can absolutely see what you dislike about the review. But what you dislike is what so many people like- one mans meat is another mans poison etc etc.
Anyway, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter, does it? I'm going to make myself a cup of tea, grab a book and a chocolate digestive and be off to bed.
...
you've met me, like, twice Billy.
and what you and pretty much everybody else have missed is that it's made perfectly clear that I couldn't care less about CJP's background - just the fact their album is dull, dull, dull.
i really like this album
its not challenging or groundbreaking, its nothing thast going to change the world but still, its a solid album and an enjoyable listen.
I don't think about 'class' when i hear it, i don't think, ohh i'd better like something more DiS so i can be cool, i mean christ, i still have BSB on my ipod so at house parties i can drop some 'backstreets back..alright!'
You're all sooo moody jeez
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