| This Week's Highlights |
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analysis w/e 14.5.11 |
DVDs out 9.5.11 |
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@ DVDfever Youtube |
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May 11 2011 
DVDfever co uk
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Sonic beauty from the Windy City. Should you be looking for variety, then forget this one. Should you be looking for beauty, then this is for you. Chicago’s Speck Mountain have been making fabulous spacey and haunting music for some time now. Featuring the instrumental and vocal talents of leading members Karl Briedrick and chanteuse Marie-Claire Balabanian, along with multi-instrumentalist Kate Walsh and percussionist Time Daisy they’ve conjured up some sumptuous and beguiling songs on their second full album – Some Sweet Relief. The instrumentation is kept simple (less is more here) in the production department allowing Balabanian’s sweet vocals to become a major feature. Right now, no one can do longing like her, with the yearning streamed masterfully throughout the album, which includes some intoxicating southern soul and even shades of laidback gospel somewhere in there. There’s just enough twang to remind you that this very much a real American band. There are snippets Americana fused with their own immaculate stylings, like adopting subtle uses of saxophone by Walsh. Ok, so it can be levelled that Sweet Some Relief is a bit ‘samey’, but it’s the details of the individual songs (sublime bass-work, lulling guitar strums and honeyed vocals) that make it such a great and relaxed collection, which by definition, are unlikely gonna rock our world or even break into mainstream consciousness. But, you never know. Some sharp producer or muso DJ might do some justice. You need to look beyond such insignificant obstacles, if that’s the right description.
Each track drifts seamlessly into each other without you virtually realising. This might sound contradictory, but there’s a deep sense of uplifting melancholia going on here, and it works to perfection. Somehow, from the opening guitar solo on opener Shame On Your Soul, (a slightly edgy tone-value and desolation fuelled like something Micah P.Hinson favours) you know you’re in for some different, and in its own way, special, in a micro-music way. That said, considering there’s only four musicians, there are, at times, some whopping soundscapes such as the superb Fidelity Stake. Best songs? One worded Angela is brilliant in a minimalist way, with some of the coolest bass you ever hear, angelic vocal and gentle guitar picks with reverb. Another is the gorgeous I Feel Eternal (check the minimalist sax breaks), and drifting instrumental closer Sister Water. Only two duds – Backslider and Backsliding. Still, one of the creamiest albums this year. The verdict – Very slow burner.
Weblink: myspace.com/speckmountain
The full list of tracks included are :
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B 37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier. PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
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Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
