Pavlov Scope

But, now comes Cosmic Game, released early 2005. These guys just keep getting better. While some of the samples are familiar from previous work, they strike me more as comfortingly familiar than ‘tired’ familiar. Like your favorite comforter, this TC album will remind you why you like them in the first place: Cosmic Game is consistent throughout, which allows the listener to hear the music as it is meant to be heard, that is, as a soundscape of worldly rhythms and melody.

The genre defiance and stylistic cross breading that defines this group continues in full force on Cosmic Game. While they have always had collaborations, this release takes it to the next step and does so brilliantly. Each collaborator (be it the Flaming Lips, Perry Farrell, or David Byrne to name some “household names”) brings their unique sound or flavor, but the songs are solidly Thievery compositions. The sitar, long basslines, and wooden percussion are strong influences as they often are with TC, but the familiar sounds make some interesting turns: For example, on The Supreme Illusion (track 14), the sitar fires up underneath a heavy ragga dancehall baseline, complete with echo effected voicework (a la Cirque de Soleil). This mix of influences is what keeps me coming back to Thievery Corporation time and again; it works for dinner parties, rainy days, headphone sessions, or the driving commute.

I must confess, however, that my favorite song on this exceptional album is probably the most “pop” sounding of them all – meaning having a commercial friendly sound with a pop structure to the song. David Byrne’s showing on track 10 (“The Heart’s a Lonely Hunter”) just sticks in my head and puts me in a great mood. The syncopation, the tribal sounding drums, the faster bpm, the happy reggae trumpets, David’s ever present quality voice, and the almost Beck-esque lyrics smashing together symbolism, absurdity, and banality all light up my ears when the track comes around. Its placement within the album is perfect. This song has such strong echoes of Talking Heads’ Remain in Light that if that album was made in 2005 it would have this song on it (and that, from me, is a high compliment). Now, if at least some pop music could sound like this, I wouldn’t be continuously compelled to seek out artists like Thievery Corporation.