Still, picking up one of 2010’s most solid releases with a few tasty bonuses thrown in is a pretty sweet deal.
Originally release mid-last year, the second Crystal Castles full-length (and like their debut, self-titled, joining the likes of The Bronx, Weezer, and more fittingly, Suicide as bands whose catalogue fucks with your iTunes playlist) probably failed to convert anyone not already accustomed to the generally uneasy stylings of Alice Glass and Ethan Kath. If anything, the duo’s acerbic qualities were ramped up as a sign of defiance – none more evident than in the intense punk-jam squealer Doe Deer.
While LP number two proved to be a more self-assured effort, the group’s infamous and highly tempestuous live shows gave no signs of distilment, as Australian audiences witnessed at the Big Days Out just passed (for which this repackage commemorates). In which Alice reportedly downed a bottle of Jack Daniels, resulting in her being plastered as the cast which supported her broken leg.
Whether it’s onstage or in the studio, no-one else really sounds like Crystal Castles. However, the remix disc attached to this edition of the record aims to tinge their idiosyncratic sound with the voices of a few big names – a mix of up-and-coming acts as well as some established icons.
The flagship track is most definitely the reworking of Not In Love, featuring the only other musician who could match both Alice Glass’s pale complexion and eyeliner-levels. The Robert Smith version has without a doubt established itself as the most accessible Crystal Castles track to date. This is perhaps due to Alice’s detached, dehumanised vocals being substituted one of the sincerest voices of modern pop music. Heck, it’s worth ponying up the dosh just for a physical copy of this track alone.
The legendary Thurston Moore lays some minimalist guitar over Celestica, and noise-rock duo No Age smother Baptism with their trademark wall of white noise. These remixes, like most of the disc, are listenable, but far from noteworthy. Still, picking up one of 2010’s most solid releases with a few tasty bonuses thrown in is a pretty sweet deal.
Best track: Not In Love (Ft. Robert Smith)
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In a word: Spooky
