Fischerspooner: Odyssey : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Fischerspooner were apparently smart enough to realize their 2003 debut consisted of one anthemic single ("Emerge"), an inspired cover (Wire's "The 15th") -- and too much forgettable synth-pop fluff. So the Brooklyn duo (a.k.a. Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner) reached out for heavyweight help on its second album. Essayist Susan Sontag, who passed away in December, and ex-Talking Head David Byrne contributed lyrics to Odyssey; elsewhere, Pink/Christina Aguilera song doctor Linda Perry provides melodic assistance, and Madonna collaborator Mirwais helps with production. Rather than crumbling from all this top-heaviness, the album bounces merrily along -- even when Fischerspooner are delivering Sontag's lacerating Bush deconstruction "We Need a War." Peaks like "Cloud" and "A Kick in the Teeth" recall the debut album's keyboard-intensive buzz, but this time around, the tunes are stronger and the arrangements are thicker. With Odyssey, Fischerspooner have successfully left behind the electroclash fad they helped create, along with their former Soft Cell twitter; now they soar with A Flock of Seagulls.