The High Violets - To Where You Are
artist: The High Violets
title: To Where You Are
label: Reverb Records
type: Album
genre: Indie
source: CDDA
tracks: 9
time: 00:48:57
size: 44.87 MB
bitrate: 177kbps
mode: VBR
location: -
url: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/highviolets2
rip date: 25.09.2006
street date: 31.01.2006
1. Sun Baby 5:58
2. Love Is Blinding 4:55
3. Chinese Letter 4:52
4. Invitation 5:25
5. Nocturnal 5:14
6. Cool Green 4:59
7. Want You 4:48
8. X-Tasy 5:20
9. To Where You Are 7:26
With two well-crafted releases behind them, and the positive
buzz growing around them, The High Violets could find
themselves on many playlists in the coming year.
On To Where You Are, The High Violets second long player,
vocalist Kaitlyn Ni Donovan has taken over as fulltime lead
vocalist, giving guitarist Clint Sargent the freedom to
concentrate on building a thick canvas of sound for the
singer to set her wispy voice against. The result is
something that would be at home next to copies of old Curve,
Slowdive, Lush or Cocteau Twins releases. More pop friendly
than any of those bands ever managed to be; The High Violets
seem poised to make indie/pop crossover history.
The songs have an immediate appeal with their mix of melody
and psychedelic edginess. Things never get too weird, but
tend to rest solidly at the edge of the abyss. The
combination of heavy, chiming guitars and electronic
keyboard flourishes float over the assured drumming of Ben
Nugent. Still, it is Sargent's layered guitars that are the
standout feature of The High Violets. Those who like to dive
into a sea of shimmering sound will enjoy a dip or two with
The High Violets.
Donovan makes a good tour guide through these aural
landscapes. Her voice compliments the songs instead of being
drowned by them like many of this particular genre's ranks
tend to do. Yes, the music is pretty, even feminine at
times, but the boys in the band keep things well-grounded in
pure rock. On "Noctural," the albums one instrumental track,
Donovan's soft cooing floats away on a cool guitar/bass riff
that's both tripped out and dance friendly.
Things get back to the power pop influences of bands like
Garbage and Voice Of The Beehive with the up-tempo "Cool
Green." The High Violets take lies somewhere between those
two groups, without the fangs of Shirley Manson or Beehive's
near-airhead approach. "Want You," continues the groove
adding more keyboard flourishes sounding like the
otherworldly later work of The Spacemen 3 such as "Big
City."
Overall, To Where You Are gives their fans new and old
a healthy dose of their soft and hard sides expertly mixed
together.
"X-tacy" has a rockier edge lending the second half of the
record a big, celebratory sound for what has already blasted
past. On the final "title cut," things slow down a bit
letting the music build, a dreamy melody builds as Donovan
sings, "Feel my light up to where you are." Although the
vocalist may be the only one who knows exactly what that
might mean, the listener will not argue.
After all, has anyone ever understood anything that
Elizabeth Frazer of The Cocteau Twins has sung about? I doubt
it. However, it's never stopped the legendary 4AD pioneers
from being appreciated. When all is said and done, the real
test is if the music grabs you, takes hold of you, and begs
to be played again. With two well-crafted releases behind
them, and the positive buzz growing around them, The High
Violets could find themselves on many playlists in the
coming year.
Greets goes out to :
ATX, BLZ, BWA, CR, ESC, GTi, hbZ, krbZ, PR, RAGEMP3, rXn, SSR,
TDU, TSP, UTB, XXL, uC, WHOA, ... and all the others we have forgot.
nfo generated by mp35L4N63R