ARTiST : The Cripple Lilies
ALBUM : La Bete
LABEL : Magnolia Recording Company
GENRE : indie
RELEASE : 2007-03-26
STREET : 2007-03-00
ENCODER : LAME v3.97 -V2 --vbr-new
QUALiTY : 199kbps avg / 44.1kHz / Joint Stereo
SiZE : 50.81 MB
PLAYTiME : 00:35:20
+ TRACK LiSTiNG +
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[#] [Track Name] [Time]
1. The Charred Heart Of The Tin Woodman 3:58
2. Bella Of The Rocks 3:45
3. Put Me To Sleep 4:39
4. Left Over Legs 1:36
5. Early In The Morning (Space For Leda) 3:57
6. Is It Possible To Change 4:08
7. Carnations 4:33
8. Henry Darger Fights The Weatherman 2:50
9. The Last Mast In Harbor 5:54
35:20
+ RELEASE iNFORMATiON +
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Chad Bishop- vocals, guitars, mandolin
Elizabeth LoPicollo- Flute, Piano, Organ, Synth, guitars, mandolin, vocals
Sean Peterson- electric bass, upright bass
Aaron Finlay- electric guitar, microkorg, baritone, drums, vocals
Brandon Warren- Drums
Chad Bishop and Elizabeth LoPiccolo, the central songwriting team of The Cripple
Lilies, return from a year's sabbatical from the studio with this fine offering,
La Bete (the beast). Gathering momentum from the release of a live EP early in
2005, the duo began writing for this new album and rigorously thumping local
venues, stirring up public attention and honing the stripped-down live sound
that signaled a definite departure from their earlier projects. Along the way,
they collaborated with longtime friend and co-conspirator Aaron Finley and
gifted local musicians Sean Petersen and Brandon Warren. The resulting quintet
was widely acclaimed locally and regionally, and after much research and
forethought, they recorded in Athens, Georgia with acclaimed Indie producer
David Barbe of Chase Park Transduction. These sessions from October 2006 provide
the corpus of the new album.
At first listen, fans of their earlier work as C.B. Radio may be in for a bit of
a shock. It's a lovely shock. Gone is the blustering horn section, the ambitious
violin, the sharp dry energy of a vigorous young band holding the line behind
well-written songs. No, La Bete is a different creature altogether, a siren's
call, to be sure, but emerging gently, wistfully, as from deep in a well. This
production favors live room sounds, warm and close vocal performances, and
understated instrumentation
that really hits home by the third or fourth listen. And that's not because you
aren't paying attention ' it's simply that the subtle nuances involved in the
writing, arrangements, and performances are such that they can't be absorbed all
at once. This album unfolds with each consecutive listen.
The lines of the opening track's chorus set the stage for the rest of the album:
"And all I have is half a heart / Full of love." There is the duplicity of
recognized damage and of reduced function which are coupled inseparably with a
wholesome commitment to see this through to its conclusion. The "half heart"
that is "full of love" is the vehicle for transformation; less really is more in
this case.
While each of the nine tracks is a treasure, they form a cohesive vision.
Bishop's vocal melodies moving artfully from menacing whisper to clear falsetto
(often in the same song), and LoPiccolo's increased role as lead vocalist on
several tracks (Carnations, Left Over Legs), lends a sonic and thematic
consistency that reveals a fully-realized artistic vision. This is no mere
collection of songs, however well-written, no postcard from a series of live
sessions. This is clearly, from composition to execution, an album, the cohesive
result of a mature talent that has successfully harnessed the sensibilities of
roots Americana with the best of classical and post-rock influences.
The Cripple Lilies are currently headquartered in Pensacola, Florida, and have
plans for an extensive national touring schedule for Summer 2007.
Enjoy!