The Unicorns Who Will Cut our Hair When We Are Gone?

[Alien8; 2003]

Rating: 4/5

Styles: indie pop, synth pop, indie rock
Others: Grandaddy, The Flaming Lips, Stephen Malkmus


The land of The Unicorns is one filled with ’repeat after me’s, recorders, neck bending keyboards, cool guitar riffs, and an obsession with the afterlife. Really, it’s quite a fun place to be, afterlife obsession and all. A place where you’re never sure what’s around the next corner. A place where you’re left wondering how you missed the memorable moment (that just passed) the listen before. That may not make sense, but neither does Who Will Cut our Hair When We Are Gone? all the time.

The Unicorns have decided to hurl catchy and disjointed indie pop-rocks that hit the mark more often than not. When “Tuff Luff” wobbles into shape, its mock rap delivery is pushed around the barnyard via a recorder (I think). What also makes these Unicorns fun is that they are not content to sit back and hang a song on one idea. The opening ringing guitar riff that they easily could have ridden in “Sea Ghost” moves and morphs throughout the song. The hilarious argument near the end of “Child Star” pops up out of nowhere, and actually made me check to see if I was listening to the same track.

Though I could, I don’t really want to get into every song on this album. It’s probably the nonchalant vibe of the album that has put me in this mood. What I will do though is recommend giving this album a listen sooner than later. In a year of great music, The Unicorns have thrown their hat in the ring. They’ve managed to craft a consistent, immediately catchy album that holds up after repeated listens. Not an easy chore.

On “I Was Born (A Unicorn)” the band tells us they’ll start believing in us if we start believing in them. I believe you can count me in.

1. I Don't Wanna Die
2. Tuff Ghost
3. Ghost Mountain
4. Sea Ghost
5. Jellybones
6. The Clap
7. Child Star
8. Let's Get Known
9. I Was Born (A Unicorn)
10. Tuff Luff
11. Inoculate the Innocuous
12. Les Os
13. Ready to Die