Although it took a while for the fact to sink in, Take Offs and Landings is very enjoyable album. I don't know why it took so long for me to realize this. The melodies are upfront and catchy, and it's not like the disc is filled with convoluted orchestration that requires a map to figure out, so who knows what my problem was?
Anyway, what eventually drew me in were Jenny Lewis's vocals. I first realized how much I liked her modest sound during "Plane Crash in C", a relaxed number in which she calmly berates herself for becoming involved with an ass, breaking off the relationship with lines like "Please forgive me/ for laughing at your jokes" before the song erupts into a boozy trumpet line. As odd as it sounds, what I enjoy most about her style is the way she approaches her notes from the bottom. This gives her voice a breathy quality reminiscent of Shelley Duvall's Olive Oyl from the criminally underrated Popeye movie.
"Bulletproof" is a quiet lullaby which reminds me for all the world of "He's Large". Now, instead of explaining Bluto's better qualities to her friends, the songstress tells them directly to her man: "If you think you're bulletproof, you're right/ Because you weather my slings and arrows well." "Go Ahead" is another great number. Here, Lewis's deadpan delivers a fine kiss-off through couplets like "If you want to have your cake and eat it too/ Go ahead, be my guest". This track is a hoot because her calm demeanor while singing these condemnations is a far bigger insult than any pithy remark she could dream up.
Despite these choice bits, the album is not perfect. I find that although the numbers featuring Blake Sennett's vocals are solid, they do not pull me in quite as well as those that utilize Lewis. In addition, the band uses the tired "hidden track" concept, which creates ten minutes of dead time while you're waiting for the final song to begin. Nevertheless, the quartet (which is rounded out by Pierre de Reeder and Dave Rock) has created several fine and likable songs.
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