Ratatat - Classics (Album)
Ratatat’s Classics is a cheekily and ambitiously titled release that unfortunately does not live up to it’s name.
The album starts off well enough. “Montanita” is a perfect opener before the album kicks off, introducing us to the rather quirky and unique instrumental stylings of Ratatat. And it sounds good. Unfortunately the second track is also a perfect opener before the album kicks off. As is the third track. And the fourth! And, indeed, the rest.
Classics is an album that never really kicks off. Most of the songs have very similar instrumentation and chord progressions that make them all sound essentially the same. This is a real shame because you can hear that Ratatat have gone to a lot of effort and are good at what they do. The album has been three years in the making and has been meticulously written and recorded. But it just doesn’t really go anywhere.
Classics is a very well performed and produced electronic/instrumental album. And they are not shy with their instruments. There is lots going on in this Ratatat music but on some tracks this may be a clear-cut case of just overdoing it. If they simplified making it a more dancey release it could have more impact. And conversely if they added a vocalist (and ironically another layer to their already complex sound) it could have also had the effect of grabbing my attention bit more. This album is so multilayered that it needs a singer. I don’t know how that works but it just sounds like it is missing something.
It is hard for me to write this interview because I want to pan the album and yell BOOOORING!!! at the top of my lungs. Tho I feel I can’t because it’s such a decent and solid release. But the songs all sound very similar and are even at pretty much the same tempo. They all sort of blend in to one. One decent track.
Classics would be perfect for the soundtrack to a movie. Absolutely perfect. The songs are well executed and recorded. But Classics they ain’t.
