Cold and Bouncy is an accurate description of
the High Llamas' music, in many ways. On the surface, it's light and airy, with sprightly or sighing melodies, sometimes quite detailed, but that very attention to detail keeps the music at an emotional distance -- it's easy to admire
Sean O'Hagan's skill, but a little more difficult to be moved by it. Still, there's a lot to be said for being evocative, which
the High Llamas certainly are. Like its predecessor,
Hawaii,
Cold and Bouncy floats between involved instrumentals and songs, relying on texture more than actual songwriting.
O'Hagan is beginning to break away from his
Brian Wilson obsessions, even if echoes of
SMiLE and
Pet Sounds are evident throughout the record. However, it sounds more than ever like original work, thanks to a subtle incorporation of retro-electronic textures, straight out of his work with
Stereolab. Those keyboards open the sound up just enough to make
Cold and Bouncy the group's most inviting release since
Gideon Gaye, but it still suffers from
O'Hagan's meandering tendencies. While it's not the marathon of
Hawaii, the album still runs way too long, lasting well over an hour. Instead of adding depth, the length makes
O'Hagan's ideas difficult to assimilate, and by the end of the record, it sounds like he only has variations on a handful of themes. But when the album is consumed in small doses, however,
O'Hagan's flair for arrangement and sonic detail burns brightly. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
