Previously, all of the interesting textures in Celebration's music could add up to something muddled and swampy. It was like the musical equivalent of dozens of beautiful crayon strokes congealing into a brown block when scribbled over each other repeatedly. Though their new album, the Modern Tribe, continues to use their long time friend (and TV on the Radio band member) Dave Sitek as producer, sparse and subtle nuance brings the songwriting into sharper focus.
Against only woodblock percussion and modest organ swells, Katrina Ford's soulful delivery is knee buckling. Perhaps she was designed for swooning ballads and not regal histrionics all along. It's only at the halfway mark that layers of skronking horn rush in to add a sense of acceleration. Since the melody had already been firmly established, the build up can't bury the inherent romanticism. It's quite a big leap forward.