Electric Six – Heartbeats and Brainwaves [Album Review]

You can throw many accusations at Detroit band ‘Electric Six’: their songs aren’t exactly deep; they are mostly known in the mainstream for two big hits in 2003; and aren’t the most serious of bands. However, it is equally easy to say that they cannot be pigeonholed, as their eighth album in as many years goes to show, with yet another range of tracks that don’t fit neatly into the musical styles of previous releases.

Releasing an album a year over what is nearly a decade, ‘Electric Six’ have enjoyed a big cult following even when they’re not troubling the charts with their range of guitar and synth hits written by lead singer ‘Dick Valentine’, with their latest album ‘Heartbeats and Brainwaves’ enjoying a UK release by independent label ‘Too Many Robots’ alongside their main American release.

‘Heartbeats and Brainwaves’ is a difficult album to get into. Whereas previous albums such as ‘KILL’ and ‘Zodiac’ have been more immediate, my first listen to this fourteen-track LP was more mixed with a sense of disappointment hanging over several of the tracks. However, after a couple more listens the magic of the album soon becomes apparent.

Though opener ‘Psychic Visions’ is not the most bombastic of first tracks compared to a catalogue that prides itself on noteworthy intros, more akin to the low-key opening of ‘Switzerland’ with ‘The Band In Hell’, it is an atmospheric number that showcases producer John Nash’s vision for the album, one that puts less focus on the band’s guitar and more onto the synthesiser, layers of production and, for the first time in a big way, guest stars. It’s a multi-layered album that dances around being a little over-produced but manages to stay on the right side for most of it, but offers a lot over multiple listens.

‘French Bacon’, which starts with a thumping bass-heavy one-minute instrumental, and the poppy, speedy ‘Gridlock!’ are more traditional E6 fare, with catchy, memorable choruses and impressive music work. ‘It Gets Hot’, featuring ‘Andy D’, is the band’s take on RnB music, that throws in a false start to the song, a rap section and female vocals mirroring Dick’s lyrics on the chorus, creating a stand out track unlike anything the band has done before that mixes tongue-in-cheek lyrics with the aforementioned RnB swagger. The opening words of “That sound that you were looking for / Ain't nothing like this sound /
Better turn your car around” sum up the album’s shift in style from previous releases nicely.

‘The Intergalactic Version’ sounds as spacey as its title and is more about the music than necessarily the lyrics, with more interesting production effects and a ethereal feel. ‘Interchangeable Knife’ continues the theme set in ‘It Gets Hot’ with extra lyrics and rap-style vocals from ‘E. Abbott Jones’ from ‘The Constellations’ and ‘She Bits’ from band ‘Lettercamp’, complimenting Dick’s lead vocals once more, and would be a strong contender for a single if they decided to do one and is unlike anything they’ve done on previous albums. Plus, if you can grab hold of a copy of the remix available on their Facebook page you can enjoy a different, and arguably even better, version.

‘Food Dog’ that follows is one of the weaker tracks of the album which, although it has interesting lyrics, doesn’t really massively stand out. However, next track ‘Hello! I See You’ is the highlight of the album, and more classic E6, with catchy and visual lyrics, hand-clapping and an exciting song structure. ‘Bleed For The Artist’ is another par track which has a lot to enjoy but is nothing amazing.

But the triple punch of ‘We Use The Same Products’ – a slower track with a short, but addictive chorus; ‘Eye Contact’ – a nicely produced song with effects on the vocals that give them an eerie but appealing feel; and ‘Free Samples’ – that mixes some interesting production effects with a powerful chorus and an equally good set of verses and is one of the best on the release; is well received as the album nears its conclusion.

Penultimate track ‘I Go Through Phases’ is possibly the weakest track on the album that overstays its welcome with an overly repetitive conclusion that makes you want to switch it off prematurely, but the album is closed by the title track, a five-minute synth opus that is split into two, an electronic ballad dominated by the drum equivalent of a ticking clock, followed by a concluding electronic instrumental that ties the album up neatly.

Though in my opinion not as good as the album that preceded it, ‘Heartbeats and Brainwaves’ is a collection that is more interesting from a production point of view than a lot of their previous albums with several tracks that stand up in their song catalogue so far. Though the electronic focus of the album will upset the fans of their more guitar-heavy tracks, it’s still another great album from the band, even if it does take a few listens to really settle in.

The use of guest artists, conventions of modern RnB music plus nods to rock, electronica and, occasionally, pop make this a refreshing multi-faceted album with much to enjoy and a refreshing take on their off-the-wall lyrics and diverse styles.

7.5/10