VZ Magazine

Ben Kweller has made a career out of the easy going Power-Pop. With his puffy cheeks and kind eyes his songs resonated with innocence and all around feel-goodery. Coming up with a catchy sing-along seems easy coming from Kweller. Throughout his five solo albums he always seems to find the right spot, crafting the punch line and the clever lyric. Still, Kweller is the kind of talented musicians who strives to be like the classics of Beatles, Kinks and Neil Young but cannot get past the nerd-rock lifestyle of Weezer and Ben Folds.

Go Fly A Kite could be viewed as a return to form for Kweller when comparing it to his 2009 releaseChanging Horses. On Changing Horses he moved from New York back to his home state of Texas and adapted Americana/Country-Rock into his music. It was a welcoming experiment, something that divided his fans but brought him to new musical grounds. On Go Fly A Kite he brings what he learned from country music back around to his roots of Power-Pop producing timely breakup songs like “Jealous Girl” and “Gossip” that could catch on radio stations.

The songs are full of catchy chords and repetitive pianos; he seems to alternate between instruments depending on what the song calls for. “You Can Count On Me” is wonderfully catchy, mostly due to Kweller’s playful strumming. It is impressive how the dynamic between his song structures stays strong while skimming through genres. “Full Circle” is a harmony filled dance while “Free” is a country-rock romp complete playful yelps and a tangy lisp.

The problem is these are the same Ben Kweller songs his fans have come to expect. Despite hitting 30 and adding techniques to his toolbox he doesn’t demonstrate much maturity. The best song on the album is the opening track “Mean To Me” because it is a rock-n-roll haze fueled by distorted guitar and enraging feelings. Starting the album this way is shocking and exciting. It gave Kweller and edge and perhaps a new relevancy. Unfortunately “Mean To Me” is the biggest risk he takes and he ultimately settles down into safe territory.

Fans of Kweller and Power-Pop will like Go Fly A Kite. It is a likeable album. I just wish Kweller were more daring.

La Voyage Dans La Lune is French filmmaker Georges Méliès’ classic film, translated in English to A Trip To The Moon. Released in 1902, not only was it ahead of its time, it is also considered the first science fiction film. Méliès used innovative filmmaking techniques to visualize man taking a trip to the moon decades before man actually took a trip to the moon. Originally Méliès made two versions of La Voyage Dans La Lune, a black and white print and a hand printed color version. The color version was believed to be lost for more than a century until it was found in Barcelona in 1993. Since then it has been restored; damage to the films required all 14,000 frames to be renewed and remastered. With the rerelease, electronic music duo Air was recruited to do the soundtrack.

In many ways Air is the perfect band for this endeavor; they’re from France, specialize in trippy cosmic electronica and have an obsession with outer space. The only marginalizing factor is whether or not their modernized electronics are going to fit alongside Méliès’ masterpiece. By enlisting relevant musicians with unique sounds the film-restorers are hoping to capture the interest with a new generation.

At this point I haven’t seen the restored film so I cannot say what the interaction is between the 1902 film and modern electronica but it is a very atmospheric and cosmic album from Air. Many of the songs are reminiscent of traveling through space. The track “Seven Stars” counts down like a rocket ship taking off, announcing an upbeat march shooting through Earth’s gravity, and with vocalist Victoria Legrand of Beach House it becomes such an encapsulating experience. “Sonic Armanda” blends the anxiousness of space travel in a systemic blender by mixing an insanity craving buzzing with a catchy whistle and a blusterous bass drum pounding; it’s a track reminiscent to the end of 2001 A Space Odyssey summarizing beauty, annoyance, confusion and panic. “Moon Fever” contemplates the deepest questions of the nothingness; who are you when you’re lost in space? “Comic Trip” and “Lava” are a perfect destination as the last two full length tracks; “Cosmic Trip” speeds you across the universe with the stars zipping by your face while “Lava” reminds you of the peacefulness of space and despite everything it is going to be a beautiful trip.

Air’s soundtrack is a cosmic trek. From start to finish it tells an ambient story of space travel and the destination of the unknown. Still, there is something missing. It falls into the natural faults of any original soundtrack; it is missing the movie.  As an album it is too short. As an accompaniment piece it is out of context. Fans of Air’s psychedelic spine chilling electronica will like this album but needless to say its not the best spot to discover Air or La Voyage Dans La Lune.