Head Like A Kite: There Is Loud Laughter Everywhere

Head Like a Kite
There Is Loud Laughter Everywhere
Mush
2008-05-20

Again produced and mixed by Brian Deck of Modest Mouse and Iron & Wine fame, the sophomore album from Head Like a Kite continues the found sound and Super 8 home movie sampling as filtered through LCD Soundsystem style electro pop. Like the debut, Sushirobo founder Dave Einmo’s guitar sound still apes late ’90s, but the synth programming has clearly evolved. Tossing in the odd bit of string and street noise, the compositions on There Is Loud Laughter Everywhere seem more confident and developed across the board. “We Were So Entangled” sounds like the DFA producing a new Capitol K track, with a raunchy synth lead, repeating megaphone vocals, pounding drums, funky electric guitar, and a touch of brass and glitch. It is a born single. “Big FM Radio Hit” probably won’t be as it says, but as a straight-ahead rocker with a memorable “alright” rock chorus, it deserves a lot of indie play. All that adds up to about the most widely accessible record released by Mush in recent memory.

RATING 7 / 10