Does You Inspire You

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Despite sharing stages with the more visible members of New York's experimental indie scene -- including MGMT, Yeasayer, and Grizzly Bear -- Chairlift's own experiments didn't yield similar notice until late 2008, when Bruises found its way onto TV via a commercial for Apple's new iPod Nano. Whimsically atmospheric and full of gauzy synth, the song proved to be a fitting appetizer for Chairlift's debut album, which marries moody music with an arty, avant-garde bent. Does You Inspire You isn't meant to be digested in one sitting -- even the album's title requires a double take -- and Chairlift structure these songs accordingly, adding layers of futuristic production and bookishly offbeat lyrics to the mix. I was trained in diversity in the garden of puberty where they Heimlich maneuvered me and they showed me how to make a baby, Caroline Polachek sings during Planet Health, her voice echoing atop an '80s-styled arrangement of thumping bass and fantasy-movie keyboards. She's a chameleon throughout the record, singing in a seductive coo one minute and a strident, faux bravado the next, all the while adding a human element to Chairlift's blend of gossamer pop and Reagan-era retro kitsch. This being their debut record, the young musicians sometimes explore a bit too avidly, often emerging with jewels like Territory -- a piece of gothic, interstellar synth-pop that sounds like Bjork phoning home from the space station -- and other times finding nothing but the misplaced country shuffle of Don't Give a Damn. The latter song still sports a gorgeous conclusion with its cathedral harmonies and slide guitar, however, and the rest of Does You Inspire You follows suit, finding beauty and intrigue in the most unexpected of places. ~ Andrew Leahey, Rovi