Send "Dodos " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Slantmagazine |
 The engine that fueled the Dodos's Time to Die, and to a lesser extent ran Visiter, keeps chugging along on No Color, which opens with a bursting immediacy that barely flags over nine tracks and 40 minutes. While Time to Die worked as a sustained build-up from the ambling "Small Deaths" to the racing "Two Medicines," this album seems to be all speed and energetic musicality. In one clear sign of the vivacity on display, drummer Logan Kroeber's playing routinely spills over from the heads of his drums to their rims, incorporating a tinny, metallic element into the band's songs. Moving forward without the assistance of contributing vibraphonist Keaton Snyder, No Color is especially drum-heavy, and Kroeber's unconventional style works toward forming a repartee between the group's two members, who converse in a style that at times resembles jazz musicians. As another interesting affectation, Kroeber plays, as he always has, without a bass drum, instead using a tambourine taped to his shoe. This forces him into a style that can't be dependent on standard beats, and one with far less thump, demanding an ingenuity that positively affects the formation of the songs. His playing is a continual reminder of the untapped potential for what's too often a workhorse instrument, and makes even the band's most ordinary songs, like the long, loose "Going Under," sound sharp and unconventional. Working off this eccentric foundation opens up opportunities for guitarist Meric Long, who also writes the group's functional, if unassuming, lyrics. He usually functions as a straight man, the spine to Kroeber's off-beat, tom-centered pounding, laying down clear-cut, unwavering guitar work on tracks like "Good." But Long also has chances to play lead to his own rhythm lines on multi-tracked songs like "Don't Stop," where he layers on strange, jagged solos. The band creates a marvelous amount of depth for two guys with a relatively barebones setup. They're so tight that the appearance of Neko Case, who shows up on several songs, most notably on "Don't Try and Hide It," feels almost extraneous. Her backing vocals add depth, but also serve as a reminder of how self-sufficient the band is, able to whip up fast, enticing songs without heavy instrumentation or noticeable star cameos....full text |
| Prettymuchamazing |
| The first five songs on the Dodos new album, No Color, truly give the impression that the band is racing you at full speed. And they’re winning. The drums are pounding, the guitars are strumming, and new sounds are filling the air – Neko Case’s backup vocals and frenetic strings are immediate welcome additions to the Dodos’ sound. The opening gunshot drum clash of “Black Night” kicks off the marathon and the Dodos sprint through an incredibly solid five tunes with ease, the energy and relentless pace making up for the occasional lack of a catchy hook....full text |
| Sputnikmusic |
| It is very difficult for an album’s content to blossom when the very same album contradicts itself upon every track. The Dodos are an indie rock/ folk outing from America. The band has had quite the half-pipe of album releases from the stunning Visiter to the less ambitious; quite flock from beauty: Time to Die. To say the least; The Dodos have themselves as a band to prove that they can retain consistency with their recent record No Color. No Color begins with much urgency in the form of ‘Black Night’, a track with hesitant sentences spat from lead vocalist Meric Long behind a backdrop of their signature sound; the acoustic guitar and ear thumping drums, charmed with an occasional electric guitar swimming blissfully within the depths of the song. The track follows a simplistic verse –chorus structure, with the final minutes reminiscing to that of ‘Fools’ from Visiter. The track sparks quite the opening, not coaxed to that of being splendid, this is not red drapes brushing softly against the wooden panels of the stage to introduce No Color. This track is tugging the curtains open and yelling “HELLO!” It’s a much welcomed reminder of the talent The Dodos can muster. The opening is followed by ‘Going Under’, which elevates its way through six minute epic of fleshed out pantomime. A workshop filled with glue, ‘Going Under’ undergoes much change throughout its play-time, from a breezy chorus complimented by an equally calm verse to an all out powerhouse roughly three minutes in. These minutes felt removed from the first portion of the song, almost making those early minutes forgettable by the time the track ends. It’s rather difficult to appreciate sacrificing dependable structure for irrelevant change, when the last minutes of ‘Going Under’ fail to live up the excitement that ‘Black Night' produced....full text |
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