First Listen: Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - Buzzard

If you have ever heard an album by Margot, then you will know they are fond of the orchestral pop sound. Their rich, textured sound and smooth lyrics are inevitably what brought them to the forefront of the indie music scene, and landed them gigs like playing Late Night w/ Conan. Their 2nd album, Animal, reminded me that good, original rock/pop music that anyone could enjoy listening to was still alive and well. Two years later they released their 3rd studio album, Buzzard. But this isn't Margot and the Nuclear So and So's; at least not the one I remembered.



Obviously something changed among the band members, something I bet many fans will say is for the worst. Front-man Richard Edwards went total douche canoe and took over all decision making in the band. He said he was tired of the music they were making, and he didn't like where it was going. He wanted to make a rock album, and by God that's what they were going to do (at least in his mind, on a whole the album is rather tame). So like any power crazed lead singer consumed with fame, he kicked out 4 band members, replaced them with new guys, and told them what to do.

Gone is every bit of the pop sound that founded this band; the horns, the strings, everything. In it's place is simplicity; a guitar, a bass, drums, and occasional keyboard/piano. The only thing that remains the same is Richard's voice/lyrics. Why he kept the band name, I don't know.

Now, I know what you are thinking, "I've never even heard of this band before, so I don't care what they used to sound like, is this album good?"

In a word, yes. But I have to say, I don't like what has happened here. I'm all for change, in fact I usually demand it, but it needs to be progressive. Buzzard sounds like it could have been their debut album. Imagine if Radiohead's first album was The Bends, followed by OK Computer, then for their 3rd album, the one many people have been waiting for, they drop Pablo Honey in everyone's lap. Sure, Pablo Honey doesn't suck, but if you give me Fake Plastic Trees and Paranoid Android, then throw How Do You in my face, I'm going to give you my WTF? face in return. That's exactly what is happening with Margot.

There isn't much flavor here. I think any decent indy band could make an album of this caliber. There are no must listen to songs to be found, and that's a shame because I know the potential is there, or at least it used to be. Perhaps the real creativity lies in those who were kicked to the curb. What's worse is that you could take any one of these songs and throw them in a previous album, and it would work, because it would add to the diversity of the album, but instead, we get a rather repetitive album.

But know that I'm ranting because I don't like what has happened, especially since I already bought tickets to see them next month, and in return I'm probably not giving the album the unbiased listen it deserves. All the same, I give it a 3.5/5. Maybe I will come back when I calm down and give it another listen.