Search - Dandy Warhols :: Dandy Warhols Are Sound

Monkey House: the premake album

Mark Colan | Medford, MA USA | 07/25/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"[My four-star rating means it is a solid album, with most songs being very enjoyable, and some are great. I reserve five stars for a very few albums destined to be timeless classics where nearly all songs are first-rate. I'd like to give this one 4 1/2.]



A Tale of Two(?) Albums



"Dandy Warhols Are Sound" (DWAS) is in some ways quite similar to the 2003 "Welcome to the Monkey House" (MH) release. If you are familiar with MH, you will find most of the same songs, even apparently the same recordings of the raw tracks.



Somewhere in the marketing for DWAS, the DWs explain that this version was their original mix and order of the material. The record company did not like it, and remixed the raw takes into a new album with a new title, MH. Judging by some reviews, MH was met with mixed feelings by some fans, largely because it sounded very electronic (and it is) compared to more guitar-oriented earlier albums.



Comparing MH and DWAS As Complete Albums



MH and DWAS are different mixes of the same raw recordings and songs. Those superficially interested in MH might be disappointed that we have the same songs as MH but in a different order; those who have played MH repeatedly or listened closely with headphones can't fail to notice, if not love, the radically different mixes and the different mood of DWAS.



Overall MH is upbeat, polished, technically advanced, about as tight as the usually loose DWs could be, and almost frantic in cutting between songs to dazzle the listener with very professional and spare editing but more densely overtracked. I love it as an excellent and enjoyable album, but like many of my favorites, it took me several listens to fully appreciate it, past the "hits" (Last High, Friends, Scientist).



By comparison, DWAS is deeper, darker, rougher, languid, looser and more psychedelic, while still keeping some pop formula in place. Many of the songs are longer than their counterparts on MH: MH trimmed lots of great bits to achieve the goal of tightening up the album's flow. We hear the songs on their own terms, where they take their sweet time opening up ("Burned" takes a long time in its intro to actually start the song, fading in over a minute or two before it gets going) or taking a break from the theme and come back later ("I'm Over It").



While MH is densely mixed, there is a lot of open space in DWAS giving us a chance to hear subtleties inaudible on MH, and at the same some stark minimal sounds jump out.



While they still use electronic sound on DWAS, it is more dominant on MH, and here we can hear the drums, guitars and voices more clearly and fully than before. Those who dismissed MH as too electronic should give DWAS a listen.



More About The Songs



The song order is totally different, and this has a major impact on the flow and mood of DWAS as a whole. "The Last High" has a long instrumental conclusion, then flows nicely into "Wonderful You" (also instrumentally extended), crossfading one into the next, as the Dandies love to do. It isn't like that on MH, where "Last High" ends and "Heavenly" begins.



"We Used To Be Friends", famous as the theme song for Veronica Mars, has some faint sounds at the end before the album resumes with "The Last High," and looser editing overall. I guess I like the MH version better, but this version is interesting too. "Scientist" has more pronounced giggling in the opening but otherwise is similar to the version on MH.



"I Am Over It" is transformed into a slow romp through space, owing nothing to the idea of a pop formula, as it totally spaces out for awhile, perhaps from "doing this in one toke" (note the bubbling bong sound effects in the background) at the beginning. "I'm GONE" indeed! The remix on MH loses the high spirit, and I never quite got it until I heard the premake. The premake version is among my favorite tracks, where it was not on MH.



"Pete Int'l Spaceport" (also called "Heaven" in the TAGS of the MP3 download from the DW fan site) is not on MH; it is a spacey jam of synth sounds without a real melody or destination; it's about the journey instead.



The opening title track from MH is not on DWAS. Possibly it was recorded after DWAS was finished, when the record company requested some novel way of opening the album. It's a cute opening, but it's not really a song, and it fits MH better than it would DWAS, because DWAS begins with a slow fade-in.



Thoughts on Releasing a Premake



A big Beatles fan I know told me he wished they had trimmed some songs from The White Album, that it would be more solid if they had. I was shocked at first, but I see his point. Still, I'm glad they released it in full. Had they not, I imagine that by now they would have released a later, "complete edition".



DWAS is the first time a band has taken one of my favorite albums and given me a chance to hear their original concept, in its original or "complete" form, more in the completeness of songs, but also including one deleted track. It deepens my appreciation of the music, and I enjoy MH even more. Now that DWs have their own label and are marketing directly to their fans, they have the luxury of being able to give us releases we would never hear when old record companies called all the shots. What a blessed change!



MH vs DWAS: which one to buy?



So which one is "better"? The Dandies, in promoting DWAS, are careful to say that they love their first version, but that they also love MH. I am enjoying the novelty of DWAS full length versions tremendously, but I expect that after many listens, I will continue to see them as very different albums and like them both for different reasons. For me, having BOTH is better.



If you have not heard either, the shinier MH with its brisk pace may be more accessible on the first listen. If you like it enough to listen to it closely, you owe it to yourself to experience the "pre-make" of this great album. If your musical appreciation includes albums that move a bit more slowly in their search for musical nirvana, DWAS may be the first choice for you.



I DO consider DWAS an essential album if you loved MH, because it is such a different take on the music.



Where to Find the Bonus Tracks



There are other editions available (such as a 320k MP3 or Apple lossless download) on the DW Web site that have tracks not found on the basic CD version of DWAS. "The Last High (live)" is a worthwhile addition, as it is yet another interpretation of the song.



With "You Ain't Going Nowhere," the Dandies recall the great country-ish digression "Country Leaver" from 13 Tales. A nice track, but it would not fit MH or DWAS except as a bonus track.



Buying the CD from the DW fan site includes getting the mp3 download with the extra tracks. The deluxe editions (packages which include extras like signed vinyl, t-shirt, army bag) include the electronic download with the extra tracks, but I don't know if they are on the CD.



Update: the electronic edition from the DW fan site, at least, has added an additional bonus track, a cover of "Blackbird" (Beatles' White Album). Why? The 2003 Monkey House title track/album opener includes these lyrics: "When Michael Jackson dies We're covering Blackbird," and when he did, fans pressured them for the track. The cover is a slow, dreamy take.



Bottom Line Plus



Overall, I have been looking forward to the release of this "premake" album for several weeks, and it is greatly exceeded my expectations by being its own album on its own terms, and different from the record company version.



PS - if you like the Dandys but have not heard the 2008 release "Earth to DW", check it out. For me it took some listens to appreciate, but it has some GREAT new songs (and some that are not my favorites amont the DW repertoire). I'll review it soon."

Not Essential, but Certainly Enjoyable

Brandon J. Smith | Philadelphia, PA | 07/15/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The mix of The Dandy Warhols' cd Welcome to the Monkeyhouse was done by someone not of their choosing - that old story of the studio execs butting in and interfering with the artists' wishes. Cut to 2009: The band has their own label and much more freedom, so they decided to give the fans the opportunity to hear the album in its original form (and maybe make a few bucks in so doing).



There aren't any great revelations here, but nor are there any disappointments. The track order has been changed, and the brief intro (which, on Monkey House, mentioned Michael Jackson's death, oddly enough) has been removed. The songs sound more "live" or "raw" here, lacking much of the slickness and sheen of Monkey House.



Some songs benefit more than others from this treatment. The "new" version of "I Am Sound" is probably better here, and a few others stand out a little more. I prefer the Monkey House version of "You Were the Last High" (my personal favorite on both cds), as it has more of the David Bowie "Ashes to Ashes" vibe to it, though the "Dandy Warhols Are Sound" version has a cool way of linking into the next song.



Overall, I don't think "The Dandy Warhols Are Sound" is an earth-shattering or particularly surprising cd. It is, however, a fascinating glimpse into the world of mixing, something we listeners tend to take for granted. It shows how the mixing can change the overall tone of an entire set of songs. I'm glad this was released on its own, as usually, to get a remix (or a pre-mix) like this, it's part of some deluxe reissue that includes both cds, even though you probably already own the originally released version, like Pearl Jam's recent remix/reissue of "Ten."



So, to longtime fans like me, this is a cool cd to have. I don't think it's essential listening, but it's certainly enjoyable."

A Diamond in the Rough.

Alan Taylor | Chicago, IL United States | 08/26/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Firstly, If you'd like an excellent in depth song by song review, look up Mark Colan's excellent Amazon write up. I agree with just about everything he has to say. As much as I think both versions of this album are definitely worth having, I did want to add a few thoughts. As much as I love the loose, drippy, minimal approach of the original DWAS version, I do have to say that a lot should be said for Jeremy Wheatley's addition to the mix of "Welcome to the Monkey House". He took songs that were very much in a "rough demo" state and transformed them into a delicious slice of pop/rock heaven that happens to be one of my favorite records of all time. It is polished and tight, but it still retains that great Dandy Warhols sense of humor and approach. It is a joyous record that came out of the turmoil of a disagreement between a band and a record company. Though I know sometimes we wish to demonize record companies, occasionally, they might be right. I think that Capitol Records' input into this project truly took a diamond in the rough and helped it become a gem in the Dandy's catalog."