I got this track as part of the Rough Trade 'Tracks of the Week' download that I subscribe to (you can subscribe here). I really didn't know what to expect when I started listening to it on the train home, but it's fair to say it gripped me pretty much from the start, and I had to find out more about it as soon as I could. Fresh out from Brooklyn label Captured Tracks, this 13 minute track is more a suite of songs than a single track. Carmelle starts proceedings with a part about not wearing make-up and letting your skin breathe, and from there it rolls on - spoken word from Juan, some stuff about James Brown, a few jointly sung verses, some instrumental passages and more. Sparse and bare, with just acoustic guitar and melodica, it somehow manages to keep your attention throughout. With general themes of identity and personal freedom it's quite unlike anything else you'll hear today. There's something about Carmelle's voice that reminds me of Nico, and it's fair to say this track would be equally at home in the 60s or 70s, but it probably makes more of an impact now as it stands out so much from the rest of the crowd.
No comments:
Post a Comment