Album Review: Adventure Galley

Anywhere That's Wild (Internet Piracy)

By MARK STOCK

[GLOW WAVE] At first, you would've been hard-pressed to make any connections between Portland sextet Adventure Galley and Arcade Fire. But when Win Butler and company reinvented themselves earlier this year, the comparisons suddenly weren't far-fetched. Now, the two bands are aligned in their love of big, dance-y, New Wave-inspired music. 

Adventure Galley got there first, though. The group has been turning out its self-described “glow-wave” for about five years. Anywhere That’s Wild, the band’s debut full-length, lives up to the  promise of its infectious 2010 EP. It is a polished, shimmering collection of party-starting pop. "Addict" is an inescapably catchy mix of four-on-the-floor percussion and straightforward keys. "Diane" showcases Adventure Galley's dance-punk prowess, while "Marooned" stresses a love of the synthesizer. 

Borrowing prominently from acts like the Killers and countless '80s powerhouses, Anywhere That's Wild can seem derivative at times. But even when the clap tracks, repetitive synths and faux-English accents start to tire, the record still works, pulling at the hips with what's effective and familiar. 


SEE IT: Adventure Galley plays Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., with Minden, Exotic Club and Lassi, on Wednesday, Nov. 20. 8:30 pm. Free. 21+.

WWeek 2015

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office.

Help us dig deeper.

Support