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You can probably guess the basic theme of Mira’s second
album by its title, Apart, or at least by glimpsing
at the desolate wintry-blue landscape depicted on the cover.
Yes, it’s a story of separation, whether it be a separation
from someone else, from society, or perhaps from one’s own
self. It’s also a story of loneliness, uncertainty, anxiety,
and all the other factory diet goth emotions that seem to
be plaguing the psyche of lead singer Regina Sosinski.
Everything about the album echoes the title; even as intimate
as the lyrics are, Sosinski’s ethereal voice backed by the
icy guitars and hollow percussion seem to create a gap between
music and listener.
Don’t cry me a river just yet though. Or do--the beauty of
empathy can bridge the gap and eventually lead to a rewarding
listen, but you have to work for it on this album. Perhaps
the most challenging aspect of listening to Apart is
overcoming Sosinski’s airy vocals that seem to get lost and
drown among the swirling guitar riffs and rainy melodies within.
The lack of depth in her voice is slightly unnerving; it’s
almost as if you could pick the disc up and blow the words
right off of it. But this is precisely what gives Mira its
original sound.
The album opens up with the strongest track, "Space."
What sounds like electronic flatulence garbles and gives way
to determined drumming and an equally determined bass line.
Enter Sosinski with a wash of watercolor vocals that seem
anchorless with slight resignation and a little hope: feels
like nothing has changed, maybe just rearranged, tomorrow
will be different, new day new commitment. The guitar
that comes in midway through the first verse hints at Joshua
Tree U2, but then picks up a little crunch and
punch for the chorus. A solid, powerful track.
"Going Nowhere" adds some fragility to the momentum
started by the first song, but builds melodically into another
icy guitar storm. I wonder if this is in fact what 80’s cool
rock has evolved into. As heard in the delicate beginning
of this song, Sosinski’s voice seems most effective when she
restrains herself. Sometimes, however, her notes feel too
perfect and unchanging, as in "Green" for example.
You can’t help but want her voice to crack and spill out some
of the emotion that charges the beautifully introspective
lyrics throughout the album. Perhaps one of the greatest moments
on the album, then, comes almost midway through "Open
In Silence" when a pensive guitar hesitates and then
finally lets go with a quiet bellow, shrieking imperfectly
in all the ways you had hoped Sosinski to.
The strength of Mira on this album lies in the song structure
and the quality musicianship coming from each of the players.
Melodically, Apart hits the emotional nail on the head,
conveying layer upon layer of moodiness in ways words can’t
describe. There’s a trace of Eastern influence in many of
the tunes, as in "In Theory," when Sosinski hits
that Indian blue note singing God I know it. Juliet
Sy’s violin in "Plastique," one of the stronger
tracks on the record, adds a classy touch to the album’s character.
It sounds like music for a mild-mannered vampire.
Overall, Apart is a solid effort. Though Sosinski’s
voice take some getting used to, there are plenty of emotional
intricacies to be discovered within each song. Indeed, the
record is a fine example of the delicate art of subtlety,
even in its use of power guitar. For new listeners, this album
is certainly worth a try, and for fans who enjoyed Mira’s
self-titled debut last year, Apart will not disappoint.
-Chris Yunt
Track Listing:
- Space
- Going Nowhere
- In Theory
- Green
- Open In Silence
- Stainless
- Plastique
- Tick Tock
- Miss
- Hollow
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