a r t i s t : Serafina Steer
t i t l e : Cheap Demo Bad Science
d a t e : 2007
l a b e l : Yacca (YAIP0612)
g e n r e : Folk
r l s. d a t e : Jul/2007
t r a c k s : 12
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 39,3 MB
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*Ripper's note: here's the Japanese version of the Serafina
Steer album on Yacca/Inpartmaint Inc., released in the UK on
Static Caravan. Includes one bonus track, "I Get Along Without
You Very Well (Except Sometimes)".
Here's something I've been eagerly waiting for, the debut
album proper from harpist and singing person Serafina Steer.
Following the lovelier than hot tea on a cold night 7" 'Peach
Heart' (which is included here) this ample full-length disc
showcases her well chiselled talents and frames them with
light-pop florals which would be perfect if the sun would
bloody come out. The first thing that strikes you about
Serafina's sound is her grasp of the harp, and unlike that
other harpist who's been haunting the column inches so
regularly (Joanna something is it?) she plays in a somewhat
traditional style. Gorgeous cascades of singing stringwork
underpins every single track beautifully and while there's the
tiniest bit of electronic manipulation or occasionally a piano
poking up its ivory head this is essentially an album of harp
-pop. Wow I think I just invented a new genre... but enough
about that, the other key ingredient in Sefa's canon is her
voice; she sounds something like the archetypal English rose
but she swears too, just to make you all hot under the collar.
No doubt this will achieve comparisons galore to Ms Newsom,
but what I find so unique about Sefa's work is that it has its
roots deeply embedded in classic British folk tradition, from
the vocals to her very distinctive instrumental touch even
down to the lyrical content. With tracks as unashamedly
attractive as 'Tiger' (which comes with a spiffy stop-frame
video from Sam Steer) and the foot-stomping 'Dawn Chorus' this
deserves to be an album that crosses into a world past the
pages of the blogosphere and onto radio airwaves near you. I
predict great things, so do yourself a favour and clasp you
hands around something lovely - who knows, if we all think
about it at the exact same moment we might even get a summer
yet! Recommended.
http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=41159
http://www.inpartmaint.com/yacca
http://www.staticcaravan.org/
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01-By This River [02:20]
02-Uncomfortable [01:46]
03-Tiger [03:04]
04-Peach Heart [04:09]
05-Dawn Chorus [03:12]
06-Like Like a Bird on a Wire [00:34]
07-Cheap Demo Bad Science [02:40]
08-Roundabout Horse [01:25]
09-Council Flat [03:47]
10-Seven Bridge [03:54]
11-Curses Curses [05:32]
12-I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes) [02:37]
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35:00 min