Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, is back and is as
kooky as ever; not only does she bring a new look, she brings her self-titled
fourth studio album. The stunningly ingenious art-rock guitarist follows up her
previous releases Strange Mercy and
last year’s collaboration with David Byrne (Love
This Giant) with an anything but vintage release, which incorporates her
classic digital effects, verbose synth filters and fuzz guitar blasts. Circling
around her eccentric sense of rhythm, the smooth grooves and fancy runs are
coupled with fierce stop-start vocals and dark humour, representing a grotesque
and harsh side to classic rock tunes. Annie herself has stated that this album
came about because she “wanted to make a party record you could play at a
funeral”.
Opener ‘Rattlesnake’ begins the display of themes
and musical styles which demonstrate Annie’s musical prowess, by pushing her
outside of her comfort zone (but then again, are we even sure what her comfort
zone is?). ‘Rattlesnake’ integrates post-punk riffs and consistently-crafted dins
that side-line the, apparently true, story in the lyrics – that of a naked lady
fleeing from the threat of an invading rattlesnake. The frantic, solemn opening
leads nicely into the already revealed ‘Birth In Reverse’, which continues her
definitive animated and bizarre approach that is moving her slowly into rock
queen status. Her ability to turn domestic descriptions into intense commentary
is shown here, with the shocking and mundane somehow sounding innocent and
witty – an example being the track’s opening lines, “Oh what an ordinary day /
Take out the garbage, masturbate”. The weird, militant beats and itch
percussion are evolved into a desolate decoration of rebellion with Annie’s
kind voice keeping pace. Another accessible track, ‘Prince Johnny’, follows and
represents a vulnerable side to the St. Vincent archive. The choral-backed
swoons and flexible voice chorus hint at a Kate Bush impression, while the
lyrical wit and imposing intelligence give references to violence, chaos, and
surrealism. Much like ‘I Prefer Your Love’, divinity is also an area subtly
integrated, potentially being the vehicle for the eerie choral tenancy.
Before the album is even halfway, we’ve been
through playfully open, vulnerable and threateningly dangerous moments. ‘Huey
Newton’ characterizes the darker side of Annie Clark through the anti-parallels of an angelic choir and Hadean screeches. The second half of
the song revolves around scuzzy, desert riffs that we’ve come accustomed to in
St. Vincent pieces. The second single from the release, ‘Digital Witness’,
intermingles a heavy bass pace with synth-pop additions. This track is as close
to full-on pop as she’s ever been, mixing bouncy brass (familiar to Love This Giant) with muscular and
purposefully shaky vocals. The retro-futuristic chorus is as delightful and
infectious as any Madonna number one single. ‘I Prefer Your Love’ is a drifting
demonstration of a toned down ballad-lead love song. The 80s soft synth perfectly
accompanies Annie’s undeniable song writing ability as she questions faith in
the face of love.
‘Regret’ is a very accessible track that shows that
simplicity can easily complement calculated madness, and is my personal
standout track of the album. The surprise being that of the art-pop genius
throwing a curveball by playing it deliberately straight. The “batshit insane”
swiftly follows in the form of 'Bring Me Your Loves' and exhibits a calculated confusion that is surprisingly
mesmerizing and an enjoyable listen that you find yourself visiting more than
any other track. The only possible way to explain the creation is a mixture of
groove metal and folk rhythms. ‘Psychopath’ is Bowie-sprinkled space pop that
represents Annie’s desire for a beat-driven record; while ‘Every Tear Disappears’
is a gentle, robotic arousal that cannot be placed in the 21st
century. Fitting closer ‘Severed Crossed Fingers’ exemplifies everything St.
Vincent is about; it is a peculiar kind of beauty, a rousing juxtaposition to
its title.
Released on the 24th February, this
strange nugget will definitely be talked about over the coming year. With 2014
already being a strong year for album releases, St. Vincent will not fade away and will almost certainly make many
people’s end of year lists.
St.
Vincent – St. Vincent
Out
of 10: 8.9/10