CD of The Week

The Dandy Warhols - Why You So Crazy (Dine Alone)

The Dandy Warhols are celebrating their 25th anniversary as a band with their 10th studio album entitled Why You So Crazy. Beamed directly to the masses from their 10,000 sq. ft. studio/chill-zone called The Odditorium in Portland, OR., their latest album delivers a hodge-podge of their "traditional" psychedelic 90's-era alternative salted with synths, shoe-gazey guitars, and even some funky country stomp. As a whole it feels a bit disjointed, but if you popped this into a 6-disc changer (you know, the one your dad still has in the basement) with 5 other random discs, this would sound great on shuffle.

The Dandies start off with a quick old-timey ditty entitled 'Fred & Ginger" which puts you in a happy mood, then launches into the darker, electronic tinged "Terraform," one of the most original tracks on the record. The indie ready single "Be Alright" (and it's 360 degree video filmed on location at the previously mentioned Odditorium) initially presents itself as the stand-out track, but digging deeper provides the listener with gems like the "Small Time Girls" and "Motor City Steel," the latter a tounge-in-cheek ode to gearheads. There's also a foray into some religious themes with "To The Church" and "Sins Are Forgiven."

Overall, Why You So Crazy is not as wacky as Ween, and not as cerebral as They Might Be Giants, but channels both bands while simultaneously establishing them as one of the most uniquely quirky bands to grace the modern rock scene over the last quarter of a century. Lead singer Courtney Taylor-Taylor spoke of the inspiration for this album, stating that "We've always been driven to create art with emotional clarity...That's what the world needs more than ever right now." Showing no signs of slowing down, we should all look forward to what this band of oddities will craft in our uncertain future.

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Review by Dave Lindquist