Album Review: Margot & The Nuclear So and So's - "Animal!" and "Not Animal"

A couple weeks ago on October 7th Margot & The Nuclear So and So's put out two new albums entitled Animal! and Not Animal. At a glance, it seems like the albums are a set; essentially they are. Animal is the "original" album, and Not Animal is a glorified b-sides disc, in fact, five of the twelve tracks on Animal are also on Not Animal. These two albums are beautiful complements to each other.

These have both been well worth the wait, which has been a little over a year now if you don't follow the band. However the most important thing to keep in mind when first listening to this new material is that over time a band's sound will tend to grow and change. Margot is no exception to this general tendency.

These albums are certainly not The Dust of Retreat. Both releases are slightly noisier than the band's previous album and demos, and they're a bit more experimental as well. These are definitely not the kind of albums expected to be released by Margot, however the new sound is refreshing and an interesting departure from The Dust of Retreat.

Together these albums make an excellent set, but each album brings something unique to the table. Animal! is a bit calmer than Not Animal can get at times. Songs like "I Am A Lightning Rod" and "At The Carnival" bring a much more experimental and slightly ambient sound to the table than previously heard by the band while songs like "As Tall As Cliffs" and "Hello Vagina" bring back that same melodic sound we're used to hearing from Margot.

Each song on this album is something great; I couldn't pick a favorite even if I was asked to. However one track that deserves considerable attention is "A Children's Crusade on Acid." This is one of the more experimental tracks on the albums. The song starts with piano, guitar and percussion, that on their own give the song somewhat of a gypsy folk music feel, paired with a sample that sounds almost like cars passing on a freeway. Then the lead guitar comes in with an echoic riff that completely changes the feel of the song and it takes a turn for the creepiest. This song is on both albums and is definitely one to look for.

"A Children's Crusade On Acid" is accompanied on both albums by "As Tall As Cliffs," "German Motor Car," "Hello Vagina," and "Cold, Kind, and Lemon Eyes." So what does Not Animal have to offer? The answer to that would be seven more brilliant songs creating the better of the two releases. This album has many final versions of demos that have been floating around the internet including: "Broad Ripple" (Now called "Broad Ripple is Burning"), "Hip Hip Hooray," "Holy Cow," and "Ocean" (Now called "The Ocean (Is Bleeding Salt)"). The demos of these songs are absolutely fantastic if you haven't heard them yet, but the flushed out versions bring a whole new and invigorating feel to each song.

All-in-all each disc is worth picking up. They both bring a whole new sound to the Margot's repertoire. If you can only get one, then Not Animal is the way to go, this is the one that I can't stop listening to. If you've never heard Margot before, go out and grab one of these, or even their first album, the band is creating a solid catalog of music that is definitely a worth-while investment.

For more info on the band check out: http://www.margotandthenuclearsoandsos.com/

A few songs to wet your whistle:
A Children's Crusade On Acid (both)
As Tall As Cliffs (both)
Hello Vagina (both)
I Am A Lightning Rod (Animal!)
The Shivers (I Got 'Em) (Not Animal)