The Double Doghouse

let’s take a curveball – we’re checking out The Orion Experience’s 2006 album, Cosmicandy:

the album opens hard and fast with Queen of White Lies, a catchy and danceable track from the first measure. this track’s a banger and i really dig it – thematically reminds me a lot of Electric Six in all the right ways. The Cult of Dionysus i’d heard plenty before this and it’s the crown jem of the album. somehow more dancy and catchy than QoWL, this song’s just incredible. the sheer audacity to rhyme “glamorous” with “polyamorous” is just :chefkiss:. huge fan. Obsessed With You has a mid-directing start but comes right back around to a groovy vibe, hitting similar thematic tones to QoWL and keeping up the sharp guitarwork and great melodies. the synths in I Love the Stars evokes a band i’ve checked out for a ska deep dive (that i am planning on restarting), the Hippos, on their second record Heads Are Gonna Roll (i don’t know what to call the vibes i’m talking about but its a real specific late 80s early 90s synth style), and this track brings a similar level of earnestness that i overall find super charming. plus the bridge on this track is really nice. Adrianne feels the same way – earnest and chill. the pre-chorus calls back some of the dance vibes of the early tracks, but doesn’t quite commit. the vocal delivery here reminds me of Weird Al here. neither good not bad, just does. There’s No Love In February is a chill time for sure. i like the back and forth of the synth-supported chill verses and the more upbeat jammy choruses (which are the part of the track i vastly prefer). Like Sexy Dynamite…. this is a ska song. there’s no two ways around it this is a ska song. we have no choice but to stan. okay someone HAS to tell me how to talk about those bright cheery synths, because they’re back at the start of Your New Boyfriend – again that Hippos record is the other place i’ve heard them specifically like this, and i dig it. this track’s aight. i don’t have a ton of thoughts on We Are the Ones. seems like trying to be the most punk but the most, like, vanilla lyrically and sonicly. Blood & Money is a good track but i think it’s the biggest indicator this album came out in 2006 (my brain went immediately to 16 Military Wives, which came out the year before this). it’s got some good lines but sits just shy of hitting my faves list.

faves – Queen of White Lies, The Cult of Dionysus, Obsessed With You, Like Sexy Dynamite
dislikes –

this album brings a fantastic energy, and i love the bold humor of the lyricism here. really an extremely nice listen and i went in only really knowing Cult of Dionysus and having heard it’s neighbors once or twice, so it was good to get a bit more familiar with them and getting the context on the track.

my only gripe with it is sequencing – this album starts on an incredibly high note and then kinda winds down over the last 6 tracks – We Are the Ones and Blood & Money both feel like attempts to bookend the album with high energy stuff but really fail to live up to Queen/Dionysus, and ending on B&M itself feels like going out with a firecracker rather than a proper bang.

that being said, i def had a good time!

Cosmicandy – 7/10