Nominated by: KS
Music club: Wander to Wozza's
Playlist addition: Dog Park
This was an interesting one - an album none of us had heard prior to Kevy's choice as WTWMC album of the week. I was intrigued and the picture I had in my head from Kevy's introduction was perfectly replicated by the style of music here.
I can see her in black boots and hippy chic black flowing things performing at one of Wellington's Cuba Street's trendy coffee places. Loads of tats and piercings!!
Well, at least the music and her songs conjure up this visual imagery for me. She has a tough edged don't-mess-with-me vocal style that I really like on most of the album.
On her best songs (the four listed below) her breathy vocals feel committed and passionate and yet held in check. Restrained power I guess sums it up. Impressive for the most part (I really liked the style of Dog Park).
Of the eight songs, four are a little underwhelming: I'm less inclined to believe her on the quiet stuff - Island of Hope Pt 1 doesn't do it for me. Some of the songs feel a little like demos (first song isn't a great intro - the creeps are out? Yeah...and?) and second song Home Alone needs a rethink IMHO. Worst of all - ES is a mess.
Controversial statement time: she's young (I guess) but the music could do with further honing. At times, it wants to be willfully experimental in a Tom Waits kind of way but doesn't quite pull it off consistently over these 8 songs.
It also feels quite disparate style wise - IDWGBTY is a Lana Del Rey style delivery which is interesting (I love Lana as you know), and the independent folky style is here at times too. Maybe a weakness? Maybe not?
That said, I get why Kevy is so excited by this emerging NZ talent. This has a lot of potential - would have made a great EP. Be interesting to see how she'll evolve.
Highlights: Dog Park; Opener; Island of Hope Pt 2; IDWGBTY. All four are stellar efforts that I enjoyed listening to on repeat.
