Album Of The Week: The Avalanches’ Wildflower

Mystery surrounds a band that has only put out one album. Take the Sex Pistols — their only studio album is Never Mind The Bullocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols that came out in 1977 and then they imploded the following year. Yes, they have had a few reunions since that. There are other acts that have been impressively innovative, but they are in a similar position. Until now, that was the case with Melbourne, Australia, electronica act The Avalanches with their only album being Since I Left You that came out in 2000. Sixteen years later, Robbie Chater, James Dela Cruz and Tony Di Biasi have released a stunner with Wildflower, and it’s a prime album of the year candidate at 2016’s halfway mark.

Featuring a ton of sampling from various recordings of 1960s psychedelic music and exuding a counterculture vibe, The Avalanches prove once again that after all this time they’re still more than your typical electronica act. They even include some musical theater aspects from the legendary Rodgers & Hammerstein. On top of that, a bunch of contemporary artists such as hip-hop fiends Danny Brown and MF Doom, chillwave act Toro y Moi, the legendary Biz Markie, indie folk sensation Father John Misty and psych-pop weirdo Ariel Pink among others collaborated with The Avalanches. With this cornucopia of experimentalism, Wildflower will give the ears a buzz right from the start.

Usually after more than a decade in between albums, a band will somehow lose their luster. Metallica is a good example because St. Anger is downright horrible. The Avalanches did the complete opposite and pushed the envelope with Wildflower. It’s a party album for the masses so let’s pop a bottle, light something up and bask in my top tracks in the Album Of The Week.

The lead single, “Frankie Sinatra,” has samples from calypso artist Wilmoth Houdini, The Beatles and the musical gem “My Favorite Things” by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Danny Brown and MF Doom provide rhymes over the music; the beat will take over the senses. “Because I’m Me” is a heartbreak song incorporating samples from “Want Ads” from the vintage soul girl group Honey Cone with Bronx hip-hop duo Camp Lo spitting fire. There’s a certain disco funk vibe within the track and the horn samples really make it special. With doses of psychedelia and hip-hop, “Live a Lifetime Love” has dialogue samples from the film American Juggalo along with Ariel Pink and Southern hip-hop artist Paris Pershun collaborating on the jam.

The Avalanches will be playing a couple festivals this summer by taking part in the Splendour in the Grass Festival happening in Byron Bay in Australia from July 22 – 24 along with bringing the ruckus to La Route Du Rock at Fort de Saint-Pere in France from August 11 – August 14. Let’s hope they venture over to The United States and play a show in the New England region soon. Until that happens, grab a copy of Wildflower. It’s music for the mind and it’ll blow it into smithereens.

Check out the music video for “Frankie Sinatra” on Youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=SjfspM5sDIA; The Avalanches’ Website: theavalanches.com