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Review: 'PETERS, VANESSA'
'Foxhole Prayers'   

-  Label: 'Idol Records'
-  Genre: 'Indie' -  Release Date: '2nd November 2018'-  Catalogue No: 'IR142'

Our Rating:
Melodic indie-folk is not best suited for angry protest music. The genre is more geared to expressing personal angst or relationship issues. This perhaps explains why this album doesn't sound particularly dark or combative even though it documents the singer's fears and reflections on the rise of populist politics, violence, hate and desperation.

Vanessa Peters, a Dallas-based singer-songwriter, defines herself as a nerdy literature geek who sees parallels in the modern age to in the glitzy decay depicted in F.Scott Fizgerald's 'The Great Gatsby'. With marked understatement she notes that "The world we live in is so uncertain" on Before It Falls Apart

She sings of ragged dreams and falling skies but also of finding things to be thankful for in times of hardship. In Fight she depicts herself as running out of armor but ready to face the enemy.

Carnival Barker is the most topical song, likening politicians to circus freaks who "wave a flag and call it truth". Even here though, the jangly beats mean that she comes across more as disillusioned than venomous.

Foxholes are defensive fighting positions which offer a rudimentary means of protection in times of war. If we want to defend ourselves from widespread corruption, rampant xenophobia and commonplace misogyny that infests our world it's gonna take a lot of digging. We'll certainly need more than prayers and catchy tunes.   

Vanessa Peters' website
  author: Martin Raybould

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READERS COMMENTS    8 comments still available (max 10)    [Click here to add your own comments]

As the producer of this record, I found this review rather astonishing.

> Melodic indie-folk is not best suited for angry protest music.

Ever heard of a guy named Woodie Guthrie? Bob Dylan? Johnny Cash? Crosby Stills Nash & Young? Do I really need to continue?

Every reviewer is entitled to his opinion and if this album isnt to this reviewers taste, thats totally reasonable.

However its hard to take a reviewer seriously when he opens with such a strange and questionable proposition.

------------- Author: riprowan   12 November 2018

Indie as a genre term did not exist until the mid 1970s. The artists you have cited made their names well before this so none could be correctly termed indie-folk.

Vanessa Peters is working in a field that has more in common with pop music The point I was trying to make is that, in opposing the regressive political populists of today, you need music that is more hard-hitting.

------------- Author: Martin Raybould   19 November 2018



PETERS, VANESSA - Foxhole Prayers