Dandy Warhols all over the map
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The Winnipeg Sun
Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia
by Darryl Sterdan
August 04, 2000
On the musical map, Urban Bohemia is right on the border of Pretentious Slackerville -- and sometimes on The Dandy Warhols' maddeningly inconsistent third CD, it's hard to tell which side of the tracks they're on. This Portland trio's effortlessly eclectic style, which runs the gamut from blissful, hazy folk-pop to fuzzed-out stoner-rock, bombastic space-rock and jittery new-wave, is a double-edged sword: When you hit a stretch of tunes that click -- like the Iggy-ish trio of Country Leaver, Solid and Horse Pills -- it makes them seem like talented multi-taskers. But when you hit a stretch that doesn't, they just seem unfocused and indecisive. A few too many five-minute songs that are long on meandering melodies and short on sharp hooks don't help. Don't be fooled by the Jumpin' Jack Flash sizzle of single Bohemian Like You; only about half these Thirteen Tales are worth hearing more than once.
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