Early in 2021,
the Notwist
released
Vertigo Days
, an album that had everything going for it except its timing. The equally heartfelt and ambitious mix of electronica, post-rock, and pop within its songs was ripe for reimagining on-stage in much the same way the band electrified their music with the improvisatory energy of 2016's live album
Superheroes, Ghostvillains & Stuff
, but the COVID-19 global pandemic made that difficult. Since
couldn't take their music on the road, they brought the concert experience to their studio in Weilheim, Germany, documenting the performance with a film and album. Just as
challenged what it meant to be in a band,
Vertigo Days: Live from Alien Research Center
creates its own category. Equal parts live album, jam session, and remixes, it brings a more intimate perspective to
' songs even as it expands their boundaries. The live setting enhances the flow from the record's sweetly confessional vignettes to its deeply contemplative passages. There's an extra warmth and immediacy to the renditions of "Where You Find Me" and "Sans Soleil," both of which prove
are still as skilled at chiming, endearing pop as they were on
Neon Golden
's "Pick up the Phone," while the haunting performance of "Loose Ends" sends the album off on a swell of chromatic percussion. The studio version of
was so filled with collaborators that it may have been easy to miss the addition of
's newest member,
Theresa Loibl
(to her credit, she blended in perfectly with the cosmic swirl of sounds surrounding her). On
, she's unmistakable, contributing bass clarinet, harmonium, and keyboards on the epic performance of "Into the Ice Age," one of many moments where the group's jazz and Krautrock influences combine with irresistible momentum. When she and the rest of the band stretch out on a funky reworking of "Ship" (which still features the original vocals courtesy of
Tenniscoats
and
Spirit Fest
's
Saya
) and "Exit Strategy to Myself," it doesn't matter that
aren't playing to a packed room --
's energy is so infectious that it's a triumphant testament to the band's need to share their music, no matter what. ~ Heather Phares