This is a welcome piece of restoration.
Anna Domino (nee Anna Taylor) is another of those migratory souls whose paths have taken them through the Belgian offices of les Disques du Crepuscule via Japan, New York, Italy, Canada, Los Angeles and adjoining but lonelier places. "Mysteries of America" was first released in 1990, with songs co-written (as ever) with Michel Delory. 1988's mini-album "Colouring in the Edge and the Outline" is added, and the whole is nicely finsihed with the previously unreleased "Stand Apart", that reworks writing and backing tapes from another stalwart of the Crepuscule cadre, Jonathan Prosser.
With an ear on the aesthetic inheritance of early Factory Records and a strong feel for the melodic and narrative shape of British folk song, repeated listenings will draw out some fine tunes ("Home" is a classic) and insistent, near-dance rhythms ("Pandora" has a super-cool Latin lilt with a sweet and sour interplay of warm bass line and crystalline guitar phrases). There is a remarkable consistency in the high quality of the songs and the careful production.
"Paris" has a rural French accordion sound in the context of a very contemporary world-music band sound – putting crisply played real instruments up against Korg and drum machine parts. As with all the songs the big-hearted centre is Anna's dusky, sometimes melancholy voice.
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"Bonds of Love" evokes the pure vision of Paul Brady's best albums, with guitar and piano adding those haunting, unresolved phrases that guarantee the tingle factor. The voice smokes and glowers in a Nico/June Tabor kind of way.
But drop in where you like. Every song has some fresh take, and none has a false note. 14 years on, you could make regular money betting people against their guessing the year of original issue.
So why the hell would you buy something like this? You don’t know anyone who'd be impressed. You probably don’t know anyone who has even heard of it. It won't remind you of going on holiday. You can’t play air guitar to it …
…well. It’s just good. You can put it on and spend the next hour in a generally good mood without grimacing or dancing your arse off. And you'll keep noticing good bits of creative production. You might also pause to reflect on how the hell we decide to get culturally obsessed with one set of tunes, while completely overlooking another one. Beats me
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