Dave's Malajube Review

Sorry for the really late post on this – crazy week last week, and over the weekend a good friend was getting married.

I thought I would love this record way more than I actually do. I don't know what it is that is hanging me up exactly but there is something off about the whole experience I’m having whenever I listen to it. I want to like it, I feel like I’m not part of the club if I don’t like, but really indifference creeps up and I find myself wanting to turn it off or skip songs. Unlike my fellow contributors, this album does not restore my faith in anything – and it’s not a French language thing, I’m somewhat fluent and can get by on my loose translations. So let’s analyze my problems.

I know for one thing Gary loves this album and proclaim on his Twitter how he thought, “oh sorry know Malajube were winning the Polaris based on the first half of track 1”. Me I'm way more fucking indifferent to this sound but I agree if this was a political game (a la the Junos) Malajube makes sense as a winner. The music although 80% of the country won't be able to keep up with the lyrics; they appear non-threatening enough and the arrangements are accessible like a John Mayer record is accessible and non-threatening. One thing that does bug me is how highly polished the production on this album is. Most Quebecois albums are does anyone know why? Do they have better studios there or better microphones? For a band that others find jammy and improvised it seems that they really take their time make sure everything sounds just right and pristine, rather than a mistake or two slip through the cracks.

Maljube have made a nice sounding middle of the road record. And there's nothing wrong with that. But at the same time I was hoping my ears would lead the experience here and take me into a world I had yet to encounter I stead it feels like Montreal on a Thursday in February. I can’t distinguish why people (namely Ryan and Matt below) go gaga for this. All the praise they give it seems justified, they are smart, well read, well versed music men – but I just don’t agree with them on this one. Which makes it two weeks in a row I stand out in my opinion on this blog – which gets me thinking there is something wrong with me or my earphones. Nah, I just have an opinion and my own tastes, which aren’t always satisfied by Malajube.

I don’t want to seem like I’m crapping all over this record, it has great moments on it, good songs, and killer arrangements. Overall the experimentation feels forces and that is what takes away from the sentiment for me. Malajube could win this Polaris this, and I wouldn’t be disappointed one bit, I’d mention it to my dinner guest as the album came on during a lull in conversation at my next party. It’s that kind of album for me, the one you put on for “life’s background music”, and I was hoping it was going to be “soundtrack to a moment” music.

dave