2005 Favorites: The Cars Are The Stars - Fragments

I hate the term "indietronic". It's too corny and vague for me. But for good or bad, it's the genre that perhaps best fits The Cars Are The Stars.

Fragments, the band's second album, is the sound of the warm thud of live drumming and the morose twang of plucked guitar strings. And yes, it's also the sound of electronic pulses and looped voices coursing through human veins. Call it blood, sweat and gears.

What makes this album really work is TCATS' masterly blending of its elements. The electronics never dominate or distract while the traditional never feels tired. They are woven together to near perfection.

This album is not a happy one. There are no pop tunes or catchy hooks to accompany a T.V. drama. The sound is often warm and present, but also forlorn and distant. Like an estranged lover lying next to you, Fragments brings you close to the source, but you still feel like a stranger. The ache you feel when it's over is the desire to try again, hoping this time the riddle will be solved.

Read Other Music's excellent summary of Fragments (scroll down).

Download The Cars Are The Stars: Helikopter (MP3)

Fragments is available in the U.S. from Chez Moi Records