It pays to be suspicious of the ‘tips for the new year’ lists that appear across the media in the aftermath of the festive period. You can’t help but wonder if they reflect the record companies with the best marketing strategies, or they’re generated by a similar machine that orchestrates the nominations for The Brits each year. The resulting lists bring to the fore more often than not the mediocre, turgid tripe that gets churned out by labels looking to make a mint with more of the same. In and amongst the tried and tested, though, always lurk one or two startling ‘finds.’
‘Rider To The Sea’ is a fairly dramatic opener, starting quietly and ominously, but building up into something much more ominously, carried along with a wave of ‘oohs’ that play second fiddle to arm-hair tingling Jeff Buckley-style riffs.
And then her voice kicks in, big enough to fill the Albert Hall twenty seven times over, and for the rest of the album; a collection of sultry, dramatic and – most importantly – varied tunes that are on the pop side of avant garde. ‘Desire’ is an assertive, throaty, classic love song, complete with a mesmerising vocal performance – at times near operatic, at others urgent, quality pop music. ‘Suzanne and I’ is a busy number, like PJ Harvey donning a ball-gown and toning down the inner-torture (only by a notch or two, though). ‘First We Kiss’ sounds like a Bond theme, but better than that. It’s a song that redefines epic with full string arrangement and legendary diva singing.
|
There’s nothing subversive here, just a classical approach attached to ostentatious pop sensibilities. ‘The Devil’ is possibly the most epic power-ballad of all time, which sounds like an insult but the contrary is true. ‘I’ll Be Your Man’ whispers and shouts alternating, for moments only the merest percussion, exploding into a full throttle musical assault at others. Having just checked the gig listings, I’m sorry to see that her Manchester date has sold out, because the live show is just going to be stunning.
How to describe Anna Calvi in a nutshell? Amazing guitarist, stunning singer and top songwriter would cover some of her. She has the talent and potential appeal to sidestep these flash in the pan predictions and enjoy continued success with the hoards of chin scratchers and romanticists she’s going to pick up on the way. These ten tracks are a bold declaration of intent; sometimes you should definitely believe the hype.
Domino Records online
|
