The Atari Star

Dispelling The Myth of Accurate Maps (Johann’s Face)
by Evan Solochek

The Atari Star had me hooked within the first 14 seconds of the first track. The spacey guitar combination put me into a daze, and before I even really knew what was happening, the drums and overdrive roared in, only to quickly fade out, and I’d been won over. That is, until the insipid vocals sprung me from my trance. Maybe it’s just me, but emotionless vocals are a non-negotiable deal breaker. The music on this album is obviously meticulously-crafted and undeniably beautiful, and on one song, “For a Lifetime of Service,” the subdued vocals actually compliment the music well. But that still leaves the other four tracks’ (excluding the essentially instrumental “And What About Ambition?”) strikingly atmospheric and sophisticated music that goes to waste.
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