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One always waits with great anticipation
when a new band comprised of former members of one of your
favorite bands releases a debut record. You often wonder "will
it sound like the old band?" or "what kind of progressions/regressions
will take place?" Often times you think, "will I even like
the damn thing?" What makes this all the more heavy on you
is when you have known that the EP is forthcoming, and you've
even heard some of the stuff live. Such is the case of Violet
Indiana. Comprised of former Cocteau Twins mastermind Robin
Guthrie and Siobhan DeMare (formerly of Mono) one thinks that
they've got it all sorted out, right? Well, yes and no. As
you may have read in an interview with Guthrie in the last
issue of Hybrid, there is a more "organic" sense of songwriting
going on in the Violet Indiana camp, and believe it or not,
it comes through loud and clear, even throughout all the ever
apparent "Guthrie-isms" that abound on the record. That is
not to say, though, that this record is a looser version of
the Twins with a different singer. Violet Indiana certainly
do their own thing.
"Purr La Perla" addresses this
issue right off of the bat. You will notice in the first strums
of Guthrie's guitar that he still has his "sound." Did you
really expect that to change? What does change is the way
that he uses it. The guitar retains a smokey quality that
almost brings a jazz feel to the composition, and the subtle
brushed drumming only aids the comparison. When DeMare comes
into the picture, you are immediately transported back in
time to a jazz club with the chanteuse on a sparsely lit stage,
almost making love to the microphone as she embraces the lyrics
with
her silky tone. She manages to
massage every ounce of meaning from her heart-felt verses
without working them too hard. If you don't swoon over this
number, you've gotta be dead. You'll notice something different
in "Busted"-probably the danciest beat to ever come out of
the Guthrie camp. Imagine a slight stuttered beat-not quite
hip-hop or trance beat-awash in that vibrantly textured guitar
bath. They fill out the sound with large sweeping choruses
that supplant the dance aspects
with a straightforward drum track
and much more of the sweeping guitar action. DeMare tackles
the vocal duties of the chorus with all the power and passion
of her idols. Melody abounds and you become loopy in the grandeur.
Do I dare say that this is more than worthy of being a smart
pop single? The jazzy presentation returns for "Silent." This
time, though, we get a bit more grit in Guthrie's guitar work.
The new sound brings out a fullness that is equally juxtaposed
with an inherent sparseness. It's a unique approach. Again
DeMare conjures up the ghosts of Dusty Springfield and Billie
Holiday and applies them with great care to Guthrie's guitar
din. When "Torn Up" starts, you immediately start recalling
images of the Twins. Those "classic" drum tracks and that
lilting and effected guitar are trademarks of Guthrie, and
you could feel cheated. But (and not to slight Elizabeth Fraser
at all) as soon as DeMare's voice moves in, you realize that
Fraser could never have sung it like this. It would have been
an entirely different piece. DeMare's pop aided vocal styling
brings out an entirely different perception of what a classic
Guthrie progression
could be. Her melody meshes with
the guitar work in a way that accents the structures inherent
in Guthrie's style. You soon realize that Guthrie was no one
trick pony, and this exploration of his root sound is more
than welcome. Bravo!
So, if you feared that you'd
be disappointed by this venture, think again. All the elements
that you're used to hearing from Guthrie and company are all
here-that very identifiable guitar, the thick, yet sparse
production he is known for, and the solid songwriting. The
only people that will be truly disappointed in this work are
the folks who loved the Twins for Frasier's voice. To them,
I say give DeMare's style a chance. This is not the Cocteau
Twins fronted by another singer-it was not intended to be.
Approach this record as if it was a different group-because
it is! When
you do, you will find yourself
playing this EP as many times as I have already and loving
it more and more each time you play it. Next question: When
do we get the long-player?
-tom topkoff
Track Listing:
- Purr La Perla
- Busted
- Silent
- Torn Up
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Violet
Indiana
