Electric President is an alternative/indie rock duo made up of Florida natives Ben Cooper and Alex Kane.  They have been making music together for almost ten years, but The Violent Blue is only their third full length album together, the first on an American label.  It’s also their best yet.  Known for blending rock, indie pop, and folk with a good dose of electronica, Electric President continues that here, but their work is more mature and the electronica is less an overwhelming element than a layer of sound.  There have been many comparisons to Postal Service, but with The Violent Blue, Electric President shows it has found its own sound.

Sadness abounds on The Violent Blue.  Lost love is a huge theme, as are loneliness and isolation, and the beautifully moody music is a perfect fit for the brooding lyrics.  “The Ocean Floor” gets the pity party started with a gently lilting guitar and some terrific reverb and distortion.    “Mr. Gone” starts slowly with an almost staccato quality to Cooper’s lyrics, and then it builds into a gorgeous chorus with lovely keyboards.  The disc takes a violently wrong turn with “Safe and Sound,” a “Lean on Me” wannabe complete with claps and insanely sappy lyrics.  “When there’s no way out/I will come and marry you.” Ick.    “Feathers” is a mediocre overly poppy track we can expect to hear on Grey’s Anatomy any week now, but “Nightmare No. 5 or 6” brings us back on track with moody lyrics floating over creative synth sounds.
 

The title track is gorgeous, showing off Nelson’s ability to perfectly build a song.  Starting as a bare-bones ballad, it grows into a stirring anthem.  The electronic is front and center here, to great effect, and Cooper’s voice sounds terrific.  “Circles,” a very pretty song, uses just enough distortion to create a nice swirling effect.   “Elegant Disasters” is my favorite song.  It has the best drums on the disc, and Cooper uses his apparently patented staccato vocals here, matching the beat in rhythm and intensity and when added to the simple melody and haunting guitar, there is a fabulous lushness that I love.    Don’t let the title “Eat Shit and Die” fool you: while it’s a song about love broken, it’s upbeat, not angry, with positive lyrics and an insistent melody.  The Violent Blue ends on a high note with “All the Distant Ships,” one of the moodiest songs on the disc (and that’s saying something).  The guitar and vocals churn as the song ebbs and flows like the sea.
 

The Violent Blue is beautifully produced: the full, lush sound is layered and well-balanced and you would never guess Electric President records in Cooper’s renovated tool shed.  Even with all the layers to the music, there is very little excess.  The songs are atmospheric but almost never overdone and while much of the disc is drenched in melancholy, this is definitely not a downer of an album.  It’s introspective and moody, yes, but also soothing and uplifting (not to mention absolutely perfect for a wallow).  Despite a few saccharine moments (“Safe and Sound” is just too high school graduation for me), most of The Violent Blue feels organic and real and like Electric President has come into its own sound.
 

Track List:
1: The Ocean Floor
2: Mr. Gone
3: Safe and Sound
4: Feathers
5: Nightmare No. 5 or 6
6: The Violent Blue
7: Circles
8: Elegant Disasters
9: Eat Shit and Die
10: All the Distant Ships