Dodos alive to new directions; Vibraphone adds a crazy touch to latest album: Music.

Byline: Dave Freak

HAVING cut his teeth playing 'nu-folk' in cafs and restaurants, San Francisco-based songwriter Meric Long became fascinated by the percussive force of West African music.

Joined by former heavy metal drummer Logan Kroeber to form The Dodos, the duo's forceful and infectious UK debut, last year's The Visiter, successfully fused Western pop, Delta blues and American folk with a driving rhythmic heart.

Now The Dodos are back with new album Time to Die and a variation to their sound, thanks to the arrival of 21-year-old music school dropout Keaton Snyder on vibraphone.

"After Visiter, we had a lot of options for which direction to go, but I knew we wanted to make a rock record," says Meric, who brings the outfit to Birmingham's Glee Club on Tuesday.

"Being an acoustic band, primarily at least, sort of works against this idea, but the new album's production showcased that side of our band.

"The vibraphone is pretty crazy and loud, and if you put it through some effects, you can make it sound like a guitar or synthesizer. It still has that ele-menof something you're hitting, though, which is central to how Logan and I play our instruments.

"It's more straightforward than The Visiter in the sense that there are fewer tricks on this record - it's drums, guitar, vocals and vibraphone. The performances aren't fashioned with too many effects and ways of covering the sound or the words."

TicketInfo

THE DODOS Tuesday September 1: Glee Club, Birmingham Tickets: 0871 472 0400.

CAPTION(S):

Glee Club date: Meric Long and Logan Kroeber of the Dodos have added the vibraphone of Keaton Snyder to new album Time to Die.