Released February 2014
I'm always worried when one of my favorite bands goes on tour with a more established artist. Too many bands lose themselves and produce pale imitations of their touring partner (see Only is the Night, by Kings of Leon). It takes a special band to learn from the experience and create something special without losing themselves: St. Vincent's St. Vincent is one of those special albums.
When I first heard that St. Vincent would be touring with David Byrne, I was scared. Their styles, though equally strange, contrasted. St. Vincent (Annie Clark) uses her precise and technical guitar riffs to drive home thoughtful lyrics. Whereas, David Byrne has a larger sound that underlying the major themes of his lyrics that have some have called music theater. Hopefully, you can see why I was afraid that Annie Clark might get lost in the larger sound with more production and dismiss her own strengths in the name of the “next step”.
Would she still keep the guitar heavy licks and stay, essentially, a one-man band, or move to a larger production that doesn't stay as tight and precise?
Well, Annie Clark keeps it together. Any fan would recognize this as her album. You can hear the influence of Dave Byrne:
But, that's a good thing. It'd be crazy to think that he hadn't already influenced her or that she wouldn’t change and grow. Touring with him helped her work on that part of her sound. It allows her to take on a topic like life in the digital world.
St. Vincent critiques the modern response to nature and society: the digital world. Our disappointing lives have been replaced with the superficial and less real second lives of 1’s and 0’s. We have the freedom to be anyone we want and love everything without commitment. But, the joys of the digital second life aren't real and can't last. Eventually we come to the realization that we've thrown off the shackles of one sad and depressing life for those of another.
The only consolation being that at least one of those lives is real.
St. Vincent critiques the modern response to nature and society: the digital world. Our disappointing lives have been replaced with the superficial and less real second lives of 1’s and 0’s. We have the freedom to be anyone we want and love everything without commitment. But, the joys of the digital second life aren't real and can't last. Eventually we come to the realization that we've thrown off the shackles of one sad and depressing life for those of another.
The only consolation being that at least one of those lives is real.
Keep it real,
John O'Keefe (guest contributor)
great sound. not what i was expecting out of her but i'm not too familiar with her previous stuff. gotta give it a couple more spins
ReplyDeleteReally liking this one john
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