Album Review: Prize by Arto Lindsay

After 10 years of churning out Ani DiFranco projects, Righteous Babe Records has ventured into new territory with noise-pop pioneer Arto Lindsay's new album Prize. Lindsay uses a combination of machine-generated and natural, organic instruments to lay down a complex texture for his subtle poetry.

Lindsay doesn't assault you with his lyrics; there's no screaming into the microphone or straining to reach the high notes. You must reach for the words, straining to find your own meaning in the often-cryptic songs, which drop references to everything from the Brazilian Carnival to the movie The Matrix. The poetry of the lyrics seems to take a back seat to the rhythmic music itself, which is beautifully composed and consistently interesting.

One of the highlights of the album is "Prefeelings," a jarring duet with rapper Beans from the Anti-Pop Consortium. The listener is torn between the simultaneous lyrics from Lindsay and Beans, whose harsh, quick delivery contrasts sharply with the smooth near-whisper of Lindsay.

Overall, however, the album fails to keep the listener focused. It's good background music for a Sunday morning cup of coffee with a friend, but, with a few exceptions, Prize is not an album you can just sit down and enjoy. B