As one might expect, DEVON McCLIVE provides lead vocals as well as the name of this (originally) assembled-for-the-studio San Fransisco ensemble. However, as well as manning the Steinway Grand you can hear tinkling away on this full length début, she's also responsible for the cello.
If McClive's voice is impressive enough in itself, her versatility as a musician is staggering. What's more, she wastes no time in putting her muti-instrumental talents to use; all of them are evident long before the title track reaches its conclusion
'Humankind' - such a positive-sounding title for both song and album, you might be given to think. Think again; it's the five-minute, fourteen-second duration of the opening track that hints at the maudlin that's in store.
Have no fear; this doesn't prevent the release getting off to a positive start - despite a limited budget, the record benefits from stellar production throughout. Another huge plus is revealed when 'Broken Old Things' proceeds to shimmer thanks to Dave Davis's consistently superb guitar playing.
With all this ability on display, you might expect McClive & co. to put the emphasis upon innovation - and you'd be right. Trumpet-vaudeville dominates the high drama before a Cello/piano descent signals the first of many frantic changes of tempo and direction. Originality however, comes at a price, often resulting in a 'headless chicken' effect. Thanks to some distinctively 'experimental' primary school orchestration, it's not long before the headlong plunge into a dark, dense tangle of utter confusion.
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Upon arrival, the drop-outs are like blank looks to this prevailing sense of bewilderment. Right on cue, horn-dominated 'Own Time' starts strongly in full sleazy tango mode, only for a hundred-mile-an-hour foxtrot to cut in without warning.
Scratchy and drenched in sub-fx it may be, but the intro to 'Don't Want To Forget' provides the first - and blissful blast of 'pure' folk eight tracks in.
The odd but charming 'Fictitious Love Song' also makes perfect sense as a melodic high point, delivered with relative bonhomie.
What a shame it is then that the three remaining tracks collectively plough an excruciating furrow towards an inevitably muddy conclusion.
O.K. my attention span isn't the longest, but after such a promising start, even those blessed with far superior levels of concentration could well find themselves in for a torrid final twelve minutes.
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