It’s been a long wait between albums. When The Lovely was released on Herbert’s Accidental records in 2004 it signalled the emergence of a talent who was able to straddle poetry and music in classical, pop and experimental form. The album itself was an artifact in itself, pages of tissue art, focused on nature. Then there was great silence for a number of years, save for a few EPs which seemed to be extensions of the albums or possibly hints of something else. So the release of Floreat – following its burial by EMI due to structural readjustments in their business – piqued interest. It is produced by Dan Carey who has had his way producing the likes of The Kills and Kylie Minogue. Generally speaking it moves away from the territory that Cyclic Defrost usually covers, it claims neither to be experimental or groundbreaking. Floreat takes a sophisticated songwriting approach adding symphonic touches to contemporary vocal songs adding touches from differing genres but never really approaching genre forms and never quite becoming part of the pop realm.
‘But Now I do’ opens the album with strings and a drum lead dubby bass and symbols, a sly twinkle of keys and full vocals with overdub. The voice high in the mix takes full use of Carlyle’s vocal range and launches into a bass stab attack leaving the slightly kooky vocal sections highlighted. ‘Weird girl’ struts an almost carnival fair tune with its accordion flavor to the wry humor of the lyrical romantic quips. ‘Pearl’ is memorable specifically for the line ‘don’t let this little fucker steal your sparkle’ as well as it’s breazy ease. ‘Nuzzle’ takes the low down bass and slow drum kit to a reticent love song, a cross between smoky jazz and vocal serenade. ‘King’ takes a symphonic approach to a sophisticated song and its composition touches, the drum roll crescendos muffled, the humming chorus. ‘All will be well’ takes a choral approach, a wall of vocal overdubs and then introduces the main vocal while keeping the choral round in the background, almost a hymn. ‘Away with these self loving lads’ is a finger clicking bass drum quiet humorous song that holds a groove and makes good use of Carlyle’s voice for its mischievous lyrics.
Floreat includes contributions from The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and stretches the comic poetic lyrics to suit the vocal range and talent of Mara Carlyle. It is unlikely to find its way into a hipster’s high rotation but the high quality production values and would not be out of place on a Coen brothers soundtrack. The comic and wry aspects balance against the romantic as pop works against classical.
Innerversitysound
