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the world; there’s not a lot of English on this
record, and some of the song titles: “Belgrade,” “Greyhound at Night”“Alone at the Danube Riv- er,” as samples, make me think there’s a concept.
The separation between the two albums is rather distinct. Drifters is more“rock,”while Love Is the Devil is more like a soundtrack to some- thing like the cult film, Liquid Sky. Much of it just sounds like a guy messing around with a keyboard and a four-track machine. And then,
“Like the Ocean We Part,” is quite beautiful. Just a reverby guitar and shredded crooning, fol- lowed by a minute or so of train bell very slowly fading out.
scout niblett; Jessica Fichot
ics: “It’s taken seven long years/And I’m still get- ting wet-uh/At the thought we might just get/ Get to run around/Again.”
Which is what is great about Scout Niblett: she’s not afraid to go up there, and thrash it out, imperfections displayed as if they were John Bonham drum solos. (“All Night Long” is pretty fantastic in this regard. Again, lyrics are not at all cryptic or veiled.)
As a Lilith Fair performer might have said for some VH1 soundbite, that takes some serious balls.
Jessica Fichot
Le Secret
Self-Released
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A bird carries its cage with a key locked in it over the ocean. The wonderful visuals of the full-color album cover convey symbolic meaning. But you don’t have to speak all the languages Jessica Fichot sings to know this is some stellar work from an up and coming art- ist. Listening to this album really sounds like you’re traveling the world. Every song has it’s own charm, delivered in another language, and ably transports the listener to wherever Fichot is showing them via the listener’s ears, sometimes multiple places in one song, prov- ing once again that music is magic.
— Sunshine Pennington
The Mantles
Long Enough to Leave
Slumberland
jjj
What a nicely produced album we have here. These guys pull from 60s psych, 70s power pop, 80s nostalgia for both, and 90s revival of such, or something. Like Brian Jonestown meets the Feelies meets Blur or something ridiculously charming like that. I picture well dressed fel- lows in skinny ties, playing on hoverboard Vespa scooters.
Bonnie Whitmore
There I Go Again
This Is American Music
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‘This is American Music’ is a bold record label moniker. What’s it mean? Jazz? In the case of
I don’t know if the album(s) is that uneven, or if some of this takes more listens than I’ve been willing to give. Since it sounds like I’ve heard all this before, by kids crouching awkwardly around their samplers and guitar pedals, I don’t know where the payoff is.
Though I haven’t had the pleasure, several reliable accounts say Dirty Beaches is a stellar live show.
Scout Niblett
It’s Up to Emma
Drag City
jjj
If Scout Niblett was a little bit older and her career began in the mid 90s, she almost cer- tainly would’ve been lumped in with that Lilith crew, if you’re old enough to catch that refer- ence, for better or worse. Scout would be the weird, drunk one. It doesn’t get much cooler. Her angst comes across vividly on this album where her musicianship certainly again sounds self-taught. This was once irresistibly charming. It’s always interesting to see where an artist like this goes. Unfortunately, I’m having a hard time telling Emma from her sisters. For Niblett fans, this is probably good news.
“Can’t Fool Me Now,” is good news, regardless. The vocals with the strings are magical. It’s over six minutes and comes across like it’s half that. The song almost has a Bjork quality. If Bjork at- tempted a guitar rock album. That song flows into “My Man” as if it’s one piece, which really does sound like the same song. This is actually kind of cool. Half through “My Man”, a lonely tambourine comes in and seems to ask the questions she’s asking to some ex, “Could we have made it?”
The thought seems to continue into the next song, “Second Chance Dreams”. Beat these lyr-
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