The Dodos - Time To Die

The Great British Summer. In many peoples eyes it’s a total myth, nothing more than a reason to repeatedly complain between the months of June and September as everyone’s parade is seemingly rained upon. And as this reviewer begins to peel my dried eyes open after another evening that passes by with a feverish desire to drink until my teeth bleed, I realise this is the third time BBQ that’s been cancelled due to poor weather and wonder, whatever did happen to summer? 

Sifting through the always growing, rarely shrinking pile of “Must Listen To…” CD’s I stumble across an album who’s title seems to perfectly sum the mood up. That album dear readers is The Dodos latest, entitled Time To Die.

If you’re familiar with The Dodos you’re probably thinking that their particular brand of acoustic angular noodalisation, wonderfully displayed on their previous album Visiter, would be better suited soundtracking the aforementioned planned BBQ rather than the resulting hangover, and you’d be right. But this isn’t the same band. Well, to a certain extent anyway.

Yes we have the same John Martyn-esque guitar picking and vocal harmonisation from frontman Meric Long that effortlessly hugs your ears like an old friend. And yes we still have Logan Kroeber’s subtle yet aggressive percussion taking that empty space and filling it to the brim. But now with new third member Keaton Snyder taking any remaining breathing space, a sense of “fullness” is really brought into the fold. 

And having the guidance and majesty of producer Phil Ek egging them on clearly doesn’t hurt, giving The Dodos that extra edge they needed to leave the charming naivety of Visiter behind them and in a way, grow up. Where tracks such as ‘Small Deaths’, ‘Acorn Factory’ and lead single ‘Fables’ could’ve reached a happy plateau as simple yet effective stripped down acoustic cuts, they’re dusted with a very subtle shine and texture that gives you enough, but not too much, to want to listen again and again. Even when the band breaks the six-minute mark, as they do with both ‘Troll Nach’ and the album’s title track ‘Time To Die’, there isn’t a moment wasted. Every second rolls by effortlessly, which is easy enough when your album is only 45 minutes long, but you’ll soon be reaching for that play button again to go from start to finish without pause.

Before Time To Die, the beauty in the Dodos sound was how sparse, open and raw it was. This time we’re given soundscapes like lush beds of grass filling the space between our toes. Subtleties which require more than a handful of listens to fully appreciate and a maturity that helps you through a morning best forgotten by giving you a reason to smile and be happy because before your very ears, you’re listening to a band improve, progress and grow in way that comforts you to your very soul.