Baldwin Brothers'Cooking With Lasers'

TVT Records

Grade: A


Don't panic! We're not talking Alec, Stephen, and however many more Baldwins there are. We're talking The Baldwin Brothers, an indie group straight out of Chicago that produces ... well, I'm not sure what exactly you would call it, but it's damn good. It's a little bit techno, and a little bit rock and roll, blended to something closely resembling perfection.

The Baldwin Brothers have been around for quite a while, and are well known in the Chicago area. They have been featured on several compilation discs, including 2000's "Best of Unsigned Chicago," and have released a 5 song EP entitled"Funk Shui." Mixing together a retro feel, smoothly recorded and mixed tracks, and some wonderful vocal samples and original vocal scores, The Baldwin Brothers' first real effort, "Cooking With Lasers," is a winner on every front.

The disc opens perfectly with "That's Right," which begins with a woman asking, "What are the instruments in your group?" The Baldwin Brothers are four men, a drum kit, two electric bass guitars, one set of turntables, and countless synthesizers and programmers. The song only answers, "Bass drum," as an insanely catchy groove kicks in. It's slightly retro, slightly lounge-y, and a whole lot of fun. Voices, sounding like they were lifted from a 1950's television show, interrupt throughout the song, but in a deliciously seamless way.

This technical mastery is carried through the whole disc, shining particularly brightly in "Funky Junkyard," an addictive, jazz/electronica fusion that mixes in an old record for vocals, and "Slowly at First," a danceable groove, complete with dance instructions, that is reminiscent of Beck.

"Dream Girl," better known as track three, is the first vocal collaboration the Brothers offer to their audience. Tapping Miho Hatori of Cibo Matto fame, they create a trippy, atmospheric dance piece that uses the innocence of Hatori's voice perfectly. Barron Ricks creates an excellent hip-hop track, with "Urban Tumbleweed," and Geri Soriano-Lightwood adds the extra kick to the bizarre "Ether."

The only vocal collaboration that falls below standard is "Deep Down," the Baldwin Brothers' collaboration with Angie Hart. The song leans a bit too far into mainstream pop, lacking in creativity and originality, despite the technical mastery that is present.

The album has a few misses tossed in with the numerous hits. "Somebody Else's Favorite Song" lives up to it's title, as it is a mostly monotonous piece that is tedious at best, and "Viva Kneivel" borrows heavily from the Crystal Method, sounding too much like "The Name of the Game" for it's own good.

"Cooking With Lasers" also contains some hilarious moments, including two public service announcements: "A Word From Our Sponsor" and "A Word From The Doctor." These two pieces also prevent awkward segues from calmer songs to more aggressive compositions. And the closing track is pure genius from its title, "Are You There Margaret? It's Me God" (a play on the title of a Judy Blume novel), to it's beautifully constructive instrumental groove. The live drums and bass are at their best on this track, backed with a smooth and simple synthesizer harmony. It's a perfect way to relax after a long musical journey, which is exactly what "Cooking With Lasers" offers.