It is often said that the true measure of a song is whether or it still stands up when stripped down to its barest acoustic bones. If Psapp's latest release were subjected to this treatment, it would surely fail. But this is not as sharp a dig as it seems. The meticulous arrangements and layered instruments are The Camel's Back's greatest strength.
The record opens with a solo Parliamentary Funk-worthy guitar lick that is slowly layered with cymbals, horns, keyboards and handclaps until it becomes an all-out bossa-nova fusion jam. With vocalist Galia Durant's airy vocals sailing on top, the track would fit in comfortably at any world music lounge. Over the past few years, Psapp have been slowly been moving away from the quirky electronica that marked their first album and have been flirting more and more with moving permanently into global music territory, which is a good thing.
This international influence is even more pronounced on ""Mister Ant."" Underscored by a driving marimba beat and hand drums, the track is more heavily influenced by the Caribbean than by the laptop arrangements of any electronic music scene.
But this is not to say that Psapp have completely abandoned their electronic past. On ""Fickle Ghost,"" the familiar beeps and clicks return. Although their electronic cuts are considerably more sparse than their other genre-spanning tracks, they better support Durant's vocals. Often it feels as if Durant is fighting to be heard among the thick arrangements. But with ""Fickle Ghost,"" her voice's varied tone and emotion are easily brought to the surface.
Although Psapp are clearly adept at taking advantage of all the studio has to offer, it is easy to wonder if they could benefit from occasionally peeling off a few layers of sound. Although The Camel's Back is perfect for enjoying a nice cup of coffee in the morning, its emotional value is lacking. It's apparent that Durant's voice is capable of tugging at a few heartstrings, but the ornate arrangements often rob it of that capability.
Filled with Psapp's trademark lush arrangements, The Camel's Back is sure to be one of the more sonically complex records released in 2009. Their ability to layer instruments on top of clicks whirrs and almost any other sound they can get their hands on is something to be admired. But it would be interesting to hear what Psapp's next album would sound like if they stepped away from the mixing board for a little bit and picked up an acoustic guitar. All this Camel's Back is missing is a little more backbone.
