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Concert Wed Feb 20 2008
I Will
It’s not terribly shocking that St. Vincent’s debut album is so terrific. Annie Clark (her real name) has been a guitarist in both the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens’ touring band, so it’s natural to assume that her first offering would be fairly accomplished. What is amazing, however, is that with one fell swoop, she managed to outdo both of those acts with a record that is more cohesive, richer and—dare I say it—better than anything the Spree or Sufjan has produced.
(As a side note, I realize that it’s probably heresy as both an indie fan and a Chicago resident to criticize Master Stevens, but I think his work is frequently overproduced to a degree that borders on absurd. You might disagree—that’s why we love this website.)
Marry Me (released last year on Beggar’s Banquet) is an orchestral pop circus that is bursting forth with ideas and de-constructed melodies. Some of the brilliance of the album is that the tracks consistently travel in unexpected directions. On “Now Now”, her delightful alto collides against a wall of breakdown reverb and a jack-in-the-box chorus. “Your Lips are Red” begins with a dangle of wind chimes before leading the listener on a frightening industrial journey of punched electrical notes (P.S. Clark can absolutely shred). Cleverly balanced against the terror and tremor of that number is the title piano ballad, a sultry cabaret piece complete with hand claps, horns and a rush of strings.
In a live setting, St. Vincent promises to keep the viewer on their toes, with a rotating arsenal of musicians playing a variety of instruments to achieve her unique sound. She can be found this Saturday for two shows at Schubas. And stay tuned to Transmission in the next few days, we’ll be holding a ticket giveaway!
