Margot & The Nuclear So And So's: Animal!/Not Animal!

           

The Dust Of Retreat, the debut album of Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s, was a nearly perfect tapestry of lush chamber pop that skirted dangerously close to being a masterpiece. It’s not surprising, then, that the band was snatched up almost immediately by Epic, nor that anticipation for the group’s sophomore release reached fever pitch, especially after the announcement that the band had clashed with the label over which songs to include on the album and that, as compromise, two albums would be released: Animal!, the band’s vision of the album, and Not Animal!, which contained the label’s selections.

            Despite the fact that the two albums share five of the same songs, the sound of Animal! differs considerably – and surprisingly – from that of Not Animal! It’s easy to hear why Epic rejected the band’s selections: while neither album is immediately accessible, Animal! is the tougher, denser sibling and takes listen after listen to digest properly. In addition, Animal! presents Margot as moving forward from their carefully layered chamber pop to a dirtier, though still lush, rock sound. Whereas on Dust Of Retreat, the electric guitar only took predominance on two tracks, the instrument dominates the majority of the songs here. On the other hand, a listen to Not Animal! would lead the listener to believe that Margot is staying within the boundaries of their debut, with tracks composed largely around acoustic guitars, pianos, and strings.

            But in spite of the starkly different sounds, both albums demonstrate that Margot has a firm grip on and understanding of whatever genre they may be working with: both releases have excellent tracks scattered across their lengths. On Animal!, there is “O’ What A Nightmare!” with a roaring, anthemic chorus that segues unexpectedly through a meter change into a restrained, smoldering middle section. There is the murky, late-night wandering of “Love Song For A Schubas Bartender,” and the silent-movie esque strings of “There’s Talk Of Mine Shafts.” There’s plenty on Not Animal!, too, most notably a fleshed-out recording of long-time fan favorite “Broadripple Is Burning,” the quietly haunting “Real Naked Girls,” where waves of dissonant vocal harmonies fade in and out like static on the radio, and the straight-ahead folk-rock of “The Ocean (Is Bleeding Salt).” The tracks that appear on both albums, however, are those that straddle the line between the two extremes, and are, obviously, the best of the bunch. “A Children’s Crusade On Acid” is driven by ominous tom-toms and low, growling guitars, “Cold, Kind, And Lemon Eyes” is a mournful and epic waltz that features the most breathtaking build on either album (culminating in a great wash of sound practically overpowered by a rumble of feedback), and “As Tall As Cliffs” just may be the best song the group has ever recorded.

            But while the melodies are gorgeous and the layers of sound wonderful to pick apart, what truly sets Animal! and Not Animal! apart from the rest of the indie-rock pack are lead singer Richard Edwards’ terrifically honest lyrics. Dust Of Retreat was hardly a happy record, but it’s truly to our advantage that Edwards hasn’t really cheered up any since, because his lyrics are filled with fascinating tales of people losing their lives to booze, lovers cheating on each other, and world (and sometimes just plain) weariness. Like any great folk record, they are what give the album its magnificent depth – they are what pull the listener back again time after time again. And it’s all for the best, because it’s only through time that Margot’s albums can reveal every layer of their magic.

Download These: “As Tall As Cliffs,” “Cold, Kind, And Lemon Eyes,” “A Children’s Crusade On Acid.”

~ Will Preston