Dodos – Visiter

Visiter – Dodos

by Aidan Roberts

There’s always something interesting about a small ensemble. Whether by necessity at not having more comrades to fill the bill or as an expression in minimalism, these two guys have gotten together and formed a band that feels many members stronger for the vivacity of their hyped up folk playing and their attention to melodic detail. Hailing from San Francisco, a town long famed for its psychedelic scene and home to the freakier side of modern folk rock, Dodos have arrived with a considered, almost scholarly spin on the genre. What’s immediately striking is Logan Kroeber’s drumming; wild and thrilling, holding together singer/guitarist Meric Long’s autumnal melodics with deft syncopation. The radio single Fools burns with creative energy, an infectious folk-stomp waltz which well shows off Dodos’ propensity for intricacy and madness. There’s an echo of the mad inventiveness of Al Kooper throughout, as well as the deserved comparisons with vocal contemporaries Grizzly Bear. From its quietly wistful opener Walking to the wild blues waltz of Paint the Rust, this is a fantastic trip.

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