The Double Doghouse

this week for the weekly review, we’re taking a look at 3:47 EST, the debut record from Canadian band Klaatu, released in 1976. let’s dig in!

Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft kicks off the record with a stirring ballad requesting contact with aliens. i miiiiight have heard the Carpenters cover of this track but it’s not a strong enough familiarity to hook in memory, and damn this track slaps regardless. it’s got movements, it’s got vocal shifts, it’s got an earnestness to it that’s unbelievably charming. great track. California Jam is a great track – gotta love a “sun and surf” track. the chorus here gets me every time, and this was the first one to really jump out at me on the record as a fave. i adore the way Anus of Uranus is mixed – there’s a fun tension between the slow, steady plodding of the bass and the way the guitar’s just messing around with that steady loop off to the side, with the drums holding the middle, and the points between verses all have really fun instrumental extras. really really fun. Sub-Rosa Subway is a fun track. probably the most Beatles-esque song to me here. True Life Hero is bombastic and fun, i really dig the guitar work on this track, and the vocal melodies between verses fucking rocks. Dr. Marvello is probably the only song here i’m kind of middling on. nothing wrong with it, it’s just fine. Sir Bodsworth Rugglesby III is a fucking muppet song about a dude that defies death in an Around the World in 80 Days gambit, like, cmon. excellent song. Little Neutrino is a very very good closing song – the long outro is great, even if it’s not my favorite move for a track to make, haha.

faves – Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft, California Jam, True Life Hero, Sir Bodsworth Rugglesby III
dislikes –

yeah i def thought about the Beatles when i first heard this (and music that i listen to in the same vein, like Panic!’s Pretty. Odd.), but i dig that there’s a bigger mix of psychadelia and prog stuff here. huge variety in musical style, with a sense of humor to match and a kind of fun, like i said earnestness to it that makes this feel like a genuine passion project. the album sounds lush and full, and the longer bookends lead into and out of the experience extremely well. i’m legit bummed that it took me this long to hear this record, but very excited to have finally been introduced to it.

3:47 EST – 9/10

next week, i’ll be checking out Melody AM, by Royksopp. i’ll be back next Friday, May 12th with that review and to pick another weekly record, and in the meantime, let me know what album you’d like me to review! (i pool all suggestions in one place, and draw a person, then one pick from that person, so feel free to drop as many as you’d like! if you leave an email or username i’ll contact you when i’ve gotten through all your suggestions.)