Apparently, I'm on a bit of an English indie kick. This album came to me at the recommendation of my friend, David, a fellow dancer. Dancers are such a wonderful resource for cool music! I was given three of St. Etienne's albums to listen to, and this one stood out to me the most out of the three. They have seven studio albums out there, so I have probably barely scratched the surface, but the best way I can describe what I've heard so far is "the kind of music you hear in a really cool coffee shop and have to ask the barista what it is." I think a new genre needs to be created for THAT.
Sarah Cracknell's voice is intoxicating. It's not extremely dynamic, nor does it dominate. She has a very even tone, and rarely fluctuates range or intensity. Yet, it draws the listener in. It's almost as if she is quietly summoning you to come closer so that she can tell you the answer to life (or something equally profound). The first track on the album, "Mario's Cafe" is a perfect example of this. Although the next couple of tracks are not particularly vocal, you are already in. If you're listening on headphones, you're anticipating what's next. If you're listening with this in the background, you're quietly grooving while carrying on your conversation. Hypnotic? Maybe.
My favorite tracks on the album come back to back right in the middle. "You're in a Bad Way" has a catchy melody and is more upbeat. Music is a very visual experience for me, and I can envision people dancing casually while listening. Or, again, people sitting in a cafe nodding to the beat and tapping fingers and toes as they sip and converse. "Hobart Paving" is a lovely ballad that starts out a little slow and then builds as it goes. I don't particularly understand what the lyrics mean (which I will touch on more), but the vocals are delicately woven and enticing all the same. "Leafhead" again is more upbeat and dance-y. This is one of those songs where I don't know where the melody is going to go next. I love songs that make me guess like that.
A huge strength of this album is the instrumental work. They use all sorts of things you would not expect (flutes, harpsichords, some sort of middle eastern instrument that has a proper name that I don't know), not to mention lots of electronic sampling. One of the tracks ("Conchita Martinez") includes a sample from Rush's "Spirit of Radio," which gained major points in my book, even though that was not one of my favorite tracks on the album. I enjoy electronic creativity if it is not abused. They also interject quick transitions between each song that are random in nature and don't seem to have a whole lot to do with the songs they are sandwiched between. I think it's kind of a nice little break. Makes you pay attention.
I am a little frustrated at my inability to connect with the lyrics. Poetry in music is important to me (although not the be-all-end-all). It's not that the lyrics are bad or non-sensical... it's just that I'm not moved. Some of that could be my own lack of experience with this band. Sometimes lyrics have a story that one could only know by getting to know a particular artist better (i.e. Phish and their lyrical nonsense). It could also be that this music is designed to be the background to something else (like dancing or hanging out at a cafe) and the lyrics shouldn't be so involved in such cases. I'm not sure.
Now that I've dipped my toes in, I want to hear more. I want to see how their style evolved over the years, as this album was only their second. I know there were some personnel changes over the years, and that always takes bands for a turn. This is a group I will certainly look into more and fall back on when I need a relaxed ambiance.
Track Listing:
1. Mario's Cafe
2. Railway Jam
3. Date With Spelman
4. Calico
5. Avenue
6. You're In a Bad Way
7. Memo to Pricey
8. Hobart Paving
9. Leafhound
10. Clock Milk
11. Conchita Martinez
12. No Rainbows For Me
13. Here Come Clown Feet
14. Junk the Morgue
15. Chicken Soup
16. Join Our Club
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment