Her voice is a soothing, mellow coo set against the instrumental backdrop equivalent to an anxiety attack. It may seem odd that such a strange description of music can be the heart of a great album, but St. Vincent makes it happen. And while her voice may be soft and gentle, the lyrics are hardly the sweet nothings you may expect to meet your ears.
Annie Clark of Tulsa, Oklahoma is the true identity of indie alternative rocker St. Vincent. After dropping out of Berklee College of Music she was a member of The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens’ touring band before releasing her debut album Marry Me in 2007. With a girlish innocence to her voice similar to that of Feist, I would venture to say that this album may have been unfairly overlooked, seeing as it was released just two months after The Reminder. With her latest release, Actor, St. Vincent asserts her distinctive style with precise arrangements and lyrics that portray a polite smile hiding volatile emotions.
A distortion heavy guitar combined with loaded lyrics layered over strings and woodwinds is the recipe St. Vincent employs to string together the eerie with the ethereal. Perhaps it could be likened to a trip down the rabbit hole…
If you like: Feist, Kate Bush, Grizzly Bear
Check out : St. Vincent (start with Actor, graduate to Marry Me)
Feeling brave : Dirty Projectors, Bat for LashesAI level: Intermediate