Crystal Castles Album Details and Twitter Review

To say that I’m excited for tonight’s Crystal Castles gig at Irving Plaza in NYC would be a major understatement. Last summer I was able to catch the band twice during their festival circuit at Lollapalooza and All Points West (R.I.P.), which was basically a glorious chaotic tech-punk dance party. Alice Glass is an absolute mess live and the entire live show is blindingly fantastic.

Last night I was lucky enough to get a first listen of the upcoming June 8th self-titled release, follow up to their also self-titled 2008 debut album. The listening party took place at the very hidden Apotheke lounge in Chinatown with a posh open bar “Selection of House Prescriptions Presented for Crystal Castles.” Amazing! Actor Ben Foster was also in attendance at the table next to us rocking out.

The new album is definitely a change of mood from the first, our table dubbed it a “sex album.” Read on for my track-by-track live Twitter review from the party via @tlcblog below and check out the interesting cover art below: [UPDATE: There was a mishap in the playing of Violent Dreams at the listening party, the song was cut short which derailed some of the previous reviewed song titles. Has been amended.]

First tune [Fainting Spells]: dark reverby, kicking beat, build ups via UberTwitter
Track 2 [Celestica]: Lots of alice vocals, bit downtempo with hard undertones. Very smooth, great album burning track about 16 hours ago via UberTwitter
3rd track [Doe Deer]: there’s the cc we know, thrashy vocals. Very short…the single for record store day? about 16 hours ago via UberTwitter
4th Crystal Castles track [Baptism]very Crimewave meets the Rave scene meets a JT “my love” sample. Vocals used as a layer about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
5th track [Year of Silence]: heavy bass/drum line. Very progressive industrial. Lady next to us “I like when i don’t have to listen but my body wants to move” about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
6th track [Empathy]: interesting percussion going on with a creeping dark wave. Alice singing not screetching. about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
7th track [Suffocation]: def a standout, wow more alice singing. Signature drum rolling. CC are way more approachable on the new album about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
Track 8 (violent dreams): starts dreamy …was that an interlude? about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
Track (violent dreams): very woozy, minimal. Hmmm… Sexy. Interested to see if this will be performed live about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
9th birds Vietnam: kicks it up please be a build up THERE We GO!!! (We dub this album a sexual roller coaster) about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
Track 10 birds: interesting blip backbeat all music about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
Track 11 pap smear: can’t wait to hear this crystal castles track (to be cuntinued..) about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
11 pap smear: Crystal Castles trash in a cage! about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
12 intimate not in love: another sex track. Fuck sex CC let’s fuck! about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
13 I am made of chalk intimate: there we go, sounds monstrous. End scene for a video game film? about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
Wait another track? [Track 14: I am Made of Chalk]: Good closer, closing track. about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
Doe deer and suffocation are the best from the new Crystal Crystals! about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter
Verdict: Love the crystal castles album but did someone slip them some x laced with roofie for the latter half? I wouldn’t say no. about 15 hours ago via UberTwitter