Music is good for the Soul

Onieda
Happy New Year
JagJaguwar/Brah
www.enemyhogs.com

Oneida’s newest album, Happy New Year, is just plain weird. When I have seen the band live, they are certainly weird, but for the most part they totally rock. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for their latest effort.

There are some rockin’ moments though. Most notably on the Trans Am-like track “Up With People,” no doubt due to Phil Manley’s guest appearance. At almost eight minutes of 16ths on the high hats and trippy, effects-laden guitar, this is without doubt my favorite track on the album. “History’s Great Navigators,” with hints of Stereolab, is an interesting experiment in minimalist repetition. The Doors/Strawberry Alarm Clock mashup of “The Misfit” even manages to pique my interested and hold it long enough to last three minutes.

Most of the record plods along with heavily psychedelic mood-rock. While not bad in and of itself, it just doesn’t get me very excited. The album is well made, and well mixed, but so far I like it best as eclectic background music. Curious, even entertaining, but I don’t really see it going on any “Top 10 Album of the Year” lists.

[T]his is also Oneida’s most fully-realized personal statement—the document where they proclaim themselves the finest band recording and playing today.

That bit of marketing hyperbole is going to be damn difficult to live up to.