Amy Blaschke - s/t
(Luckyhorse Industries 2003, KI013)
Amy Blaschke - s/t
(Luckyhorse Industries 2003, KI013)
Uploaded to Aural Innovations: January 2004
Here is the new self titled album from this Seattle based singer/songwriter. Her debut album, Red Letter, was looked upon as being fresh and new. This is the follow up, and on it Amy is joined by James Bertram - bass, and Erin Tate - drums. Together they form quite a solemn trio who delve into almost suicidal folk rock, to give it a name. The CD is a nine-track affair and I cannot really think of the names of sound alikes because I have not really explored this genre, and I do not listen to music like it.
The bio states a possible reference to a Mazzy Star in sound and feel. I know only a few Mazzy Star songs but I can see where the similarities are. Maybe a hint of Tanya Donnelly perhaps, but only in her saddest moments. As I listen closer Amy does have a nice voice but I think that her songs are too sombre sounding and a bit too sad for my somewhat happy personality. It is not my style of music at all. The production and the musicianship is not to be questioned because it is very high indeed. It is the songs the are at question for me. I like the odd song. It's hard to divide them because they nearly all are the same in tempo and feel. "Thoughtfulness Of" is possibly my favourite if I had to choose one, only because it shows a little light at the end of the dark sad tunnel. It is happy accident stuff.
The feeling of the album is like what a poor soul trapped in the torment of life would feel, not knowing which way to turn, and every day it gets worse, everything goes to shit. The sound is much the same, dark and sombre. The agony lasts for nearly thirty-five minutes and it has a very depressionesq outlook. Suicide absorbing stuff.
For more information you can visit the Luckyhorse Industries web site at: http://www.luckyhorseindustries.com.
Email at: press@luckyhorseindustries.com
Contact via snail mail c/o Luckyhorse Industries; PO Box 18127; Seattle, WA 98118.
Reviewed by Albert Pollard