The Dandy Warhols - Why You So Crazy Album Review

Story posted January 29, 2019 in Arts & Entertainment by Scott Perdue.

The alternative indie rock band, The Dandy Warhols, are back with their 10th studio album, Why You So Crazy, approaching the 20-year mark since their mainstream breakout album, Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia. The group’s newest record seems to be attempting to reach back, not only in order to capture the success from their previous releases, but also so that they can infuse their music with the sound of their hometown roots.

Best known for their songs “Bohemian Like You” and “We Used to Be Friends,” The Dandy Warhols have had an uneven mainstream presence over the course of their career. Formed in 1994 in Portland, Oregon, The Dandy Warhols had a slow take off until they eventually gained major traction back in 2000 with their third studio album, Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia. Ever since the group has been consistently adapting and innovating their style. Moving between and meshing genres such as psychedelic synth, garage rock and alternative pop, their sound has been likened to artists such as The Flaming Lips, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed. A significant distinction of their aesthetic, however, is their incorporation of elements of southern twang and country rock. Their music has appeared in many films and even in video games, such as the tragically obscure soundtrack of Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse, which featured the band’s own quirky cover of the timeless "All I Have To Do Is Dream.” Recently, seeming to have lost a definitive direction with their sound, The Dandy Warhols’ newest record reflects their somewhat hard-to-follow, eclectic style.

Opening with the unfortunately cut short, “Fred n Ginger,” this 40-second intro experiments with an infectiously bright effervescent sound that does not return anywhere else on the record. The next track, “Terraform,” has a limited lyrical presence lifted by a heavy sonic groove focus. Playing with a darker and new age feel, the song is very synth heavy in all the right ways. The album then moves to the southern twang infused, “Highlife,” the album’s first and subsequently its best instance of the band’s incorporation of their country rock style. Incorporating blistering beats and carefree lyricism, the song’s joyride down the highway feel makes it hard to hate and easy to enjoy. The album is able to maintain its energy with the captivating, “Be Alright,” which incorporates heavily an unexpected barrage of relaxing and mellow sonic beats.

Definitely featuring most of the best tracks toward the beginning of the album, the latter half of the record spirals off into a jack-of-all-trades free-for-all manifestation of the band’s oddly extensive multi-genre infused style. Tracks such as the slow-paced “Small Town Girls” and the strange love it or hate it “Motor City Steel,” fail to capture the successful usage of the band’s country rock influences found earlier on the exuberant, “Highlife.” Some tracks such as the haunting and foreboding, “To the Church” or the lively, “Thee Elegant Bum,” barley escape being lost in the band’s chaotic unfocussed finish. Closing with the entirely piano comprised, “Ondine,” named most likely in reference of the term for elemental beings corresponding with water, the album ends with an unfortunately lackluster dragged out finish.

While the album has far more successes than it does failures, Why You So Crazy, is heavily held back by The Dandy Warhols’ blatant lack of direction. This can be somewhat forgiven, since the album is seemingly stretching itself in order to offer all of its listeners something they can enjoy, an effort that very much backfires. Still proving that they have a lot of untapped potential, The Dandy Warhols successfully showcase on this record that they are still able to create interesting and enjoyable music, even this far into their somewhat rocky climb towards cementing their mainstream success. Hopefully on a future release, The Dandy Warhols will be able to strip down their sound to its most basic components and build from there, instead of beginning with all of their influences represented and failing to cut out the unneeded tracks that weaken their sound instead of strengthen it.

Rating: 7/10

Reviewer’s Favorite Track: “Be Alright”

Reviewer’s Least Favorite Track: “Ondine”

 

 

Scott Perdue is a sophomore majoring in Secondary Education. To contact him, email rsp5246@psu.edu