Dandys Rule, OK?

by

The Dandy Warhols

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A major re-issue of this album would be nice. Quite simply, it's one of the greatest pop-rock albums ever made. The Dandy Warhols are led by enigmatic singer, songwriter and guitarist Courtney Taylor, a man with a sardonic wit and big ego that many critics found hard to tolerate in the beginning. Nonetheless, the Dandy's came along at a time in rock 'n' roll when the culture needed their fuzzed-out tunes and psychadelic outlook.

This CD begins with that mysterious beep that opened all those early 1980s Duran Duran albums. Following that bit of history, "Young Thomas Pancake" quietly introduces the band, surrounded by hesitant, light clapping, as if no one is quite sure who he or she is clapping for. "The Dandy Warhols' T.V. Theme Song" is pure candy rock, nearly an updated Monkees sound that is upbeat and peppy; the band is clearly full of itself, and it's hard not to get sucked in to the sound immediately. "Ride" and "Best Friend" are slower paced, fuzzy tunes with soft vocals, a trippy vibe and dreamy lyrics. Taylor seems to thrive on these breezy, catchy tunes. "Not Your Bottle" captures the typical Dandy Warhols outlook, with hazy lyrics like "Phil wants to be a rock star, but he's a bit uptight." Never hiding their relish for rock 'n' roll fame, decadence and an elegantly wasted mentality, the Warhols make this stuff look easy. On "Grunge Betty," Taylor's voice is nearly a mock of Kurt Cobain's, full of pseudo rage and repetative choruses. "Genius" seems to question the legitimacy of artists that take their own lives, only to be worshipped later. Taylor seems to want the world to realize that he too can write catchy grunge tunes, while loving life in the process.

The last three ultra-long "rave-ups" provide major bang for the buck, not that the first 13 gems weren't awesome enough. This is an outstanding non-major-label debut record, created by a band who spared nothing to enhance its sound via a multitude of instruments such as mandolins and sitars. The drums are usually snappy, and the lyrics are sung with a lazy, detached feel. While the Warhols may have had a sense of their own greatness early on, it remains to be seen if the rock 'n' roll mainstream will buy into their slacker attitude and wasted experiences and perceptions. Like their contemporaries such as Hum, the Warhols have had a little difficulty climbing the hump to the land of superstardom (see Smashing Pumpkins for that). Here's hoping the band does it soon. By the way, that puzzling Duran Duran beep from the '80s also ends this awesome album.

Once your ears and mind have come through the song that finishes this album, 'It's A Fast-Driving Rave-Up With The Dandy Warhols Sixteen Minutes', you should know what The Dandy Warhols are all about. And whether you are fed up with their music or not.

In fact, this song which including its prelude and finale takes up about a third of the CD, is the best of the album. And very symbolic for The Dandy Warhols. It is one (very) long rhythmic journey, not to exciting places with a lot to see (hear), but more like driving down a long street on which sideroads are maybe seen but not explored, or at least very briefly, and the speed is only slightly changed from time to time before going back to its initial state.

Other, (a little) more varied songs on 'The Dandy Warhols Rule OK', include 'Nothing (Lifestyle Of A Tortured Artist For Sale)' and 'Ride'. Just the titles of these songs, along with the picture on the back of the CD (the band sitting on a hard couch in the middle of a seemingly endless and empty wide streey), do say what this rock'n'roll band stands for.

Despite this deliberate monotony, three stars are justified, since the album as a whole is pretty worth listening to.