I was apprehensive about buying this album at first, because I was so dissapointed with the last two AIR albums 10,000hz Legend, and Everybody Hz. AIR’s first two albums Premiers Symptomes, and Moon Safari were unique and innovative, while staying within the boundries of their genre of electro-lounge music.

After receiving such acclaim for Moon Safari, it was apparent that AIR felt the need to go into that phase of unnecessary overexperimentation, and 10,000hz Legend was a joke. Now it seems that AIR has gotten their shit back together, and are going back the original sound.

I was very pleased by this, and I enjoy this album, mainly for the songs “Cherry Blossom Girl”, “Universal Traveller”, and most especially the last song on the Album “Alone in Kyoto”. It’s not quite at the level of their debuts, but it’s a breath of fresh air.

The Moon & Antarctica is a prime example of Modest Mouse’s uncanny ability to combine strange yet sensible lyrics, catchy melodies, and raw energy and emotion. The album deals with deep personal issues spawning from the basic “why are we here?” mystery.

The imagery used throughout the album draws parallels between the bleak cosmos (“Dark Center of the Universe”, “The Stars Are Projectors”, bustling metropolises (“Tiny Cities Made of Ashes”, “A Different City”), and even the walls in which we live (“Paper Thin Walls”). The seemingly odd lyrics actually acknowledge some very real, universal emotions such as loneliness, isolation, and a sense of purpose.

Each song contains varying amounts of energy ranging from upbeat and lighthearted to eerie and dark. Its constant ups and downs which keep a good pace throughout. Without digging to deep into the meanings of each song I can tell you that this is just a damned good album. It is easily one of the best albums I own, and it is a pleasure to revisit it over and over.