With the recent release of Björk and Dirty Projectors’ collaboration EP Wittenberg Orca, the common criticism that Dirty Projectors’ Dave Longstreth “sings like he’s in love with his own voice” has risen once again. Admittedly, I have not listened to Longstreth’s entire discography, but I never noticed this particular aspect of his sound. On a Wittenberg Orca-induced Dirty Projectors kick, I went back to their cover of Black Flag’s “Police Story” with slightly more open ears. A minute and a half into the song, I had to agree that, yes, Longstreth does occasionally sound like he’s in love with his own voice. Not that there’s anything wrong with that–Dirty Projectors are, as a rule, not immediately accessible–but it’s easy to tell where the vocal gymnastics might seem contrived.
That being said, Longstreth keeps it fairly toned-down on Wittenberg Orca and the ladies take most of the spotlight. The EP is available here. Stream the track “All We Are” here.
Giving Up The Gun 