St. Vincent - a.k.a. Annie Clark;

(He actually linked me Southall's blog, which really did convince me to give this a go, so chalk another one off, Nick!)

this does feel like some amazing genre-transcending secret

So she's more than just a female version of that bearded American indie stuff beloved on National Public Radio? I've only done quick listens online so far.

Yeah, whatever you think it sounds like based on that description, you're about 83% wrong.

yeah, that's about as far removed from what she actually sounds like as you could possibly get without describing, like digital hardcore or something

I had listened to her music and thought 'meh', then I saw her live and it was brilliant, then I've returned to the recordings and I'm 'meh' again. I guess I can keep trying.

i am reminded slightly of late-period scott walker

'black rainbow' through 'laughing with a mouth of blood' and then 'marrow' is, like, incredible

every time i hear 'Save Me From What I Want' i want it to carry on into LFO's 'Loch Ness'

Ha, this is exactly what I meant way upthread -- most of the terms you'd use to describe her music really do risk making her sound like "bearded American indie stuff beloved on National Public Radio." And to be honest with you, I would actually not argue that she's totally categorically distinct from that stuff. I really don't think she's that far away, unfashionable thought that might sound to some people. The difference is mostly just that she's a billion times more interesting and better at it than most. Artier, more graceful, more musical, better with mood, more imaginative, etc.

^^ One benefit of this is that anytime someone who likes popular indie along those lines asks you for a recommendation, St. Vincent is something good and interesting but exactly in the right vicinity for them to like. I do wish her records sounded as good as she does live, though.

There's a lot to be said for doing something a billion times more interestingly and effectively than most! God, this is good stuff. This is what is meant by the word 'realised' in reference to albums. Also, 'uncategorisable'. Add 'The Neighbors' and possibly 'The Strangers' to my list of holy shit this is fucking amazing

This is indeed the sort of album which should appeal to a fairly wide market of at least slightly committed sonic enthusiasts. A recommendation as likely to work on me as on someone whose taste rarely gets more leftfield than Portishead, or someone who has completely renounced mainstream pop for Steely Dan or whatever.

I continue to be baffled by the love for this one, I still vastly prefer her debut to this one. I keep returning to it in the hopes of discovering what everyone else seems to be hearing in it but, nope, still just decent sounding to me.

Ha, this is exactly what I meant way upthread -- most of the terms you'd use to describe her music really do risk making her sound like "bearded American indie stuff beloved on National Public Radio." And to be honest with you, I would actually not argue that she's totally categorically distinct from that stuff. I really don't think she's that far away, unfashionable thought that might sound to some people. The difference is mostly just that she's a billion times more interesting and better at it than most. Artier, more graceful, more musical, better with mood, more imaginative, etc.

I'm sure most would say I'm way off base, but I hear a lot of Kate Bush in St. Vincent (at least in the lead single from the new album).

The "Paint a black hole blacker" bits in "The Stranger" seem like an obvious Bushism.

I recently caught her performing on Austin City Limits and it was beautiful. The music had a very slow weight that reminded me of many things, L'Altra maybe. I listened to the album again and was mostly bored. Maybe her next album will caputre the magic of her live performances. Even her vocals are the album aren't as beautiful as they are live.

If she's that much better live than on record, I need to see her live badly, because her records are awesome. Prefer the new one to the debut, but only got the debut on Saturday. Seems a little tamer.

I would say that her records are v v compressed compared to live -- this can be true of a great many records v. live situations

i don't hear anything beardy NPR dude about her music at all except that occasionally there are maybe hints of old timeyness to it - but it's much more urban (as opposed to rural, beardy, backwoodsy) sounding than that. glimpses of 1920s glamour rather than that old tyme music hall thing. she is, at her best, totally uncategorisable in the same way that classic old skool 4ad was: haunting, evocative, otherworldly and yet visceral and teeth and bones and blood and flesh rather than filmy ghosts

kate bush comparisons are so o_0 wtf becoz yes, all otherworldly gurl singer-songwriter auteurs must be cut from the same cloth and that is the ETHEREAL staitjacket oh yessss

I would say that her records are v v compressed compared to live

makes sense, you can hear it on the 'Marrow' intro where her "reach the parts that need oilin and fixin" line is a bit too low, quiet and lost in the choral haze.

closest comparison i hear is suzanne vega but honestly i tend to think that a lot for female singers with flatter, less emotive voices and avante-garde leanings

kate bush comparisons are so o_0 wtf becoz yes, all otherworldly gurl singer-songwriter auteurs must be cut from the same cloth and that is the ETHEREAL staitjacket oh yessss

No, it's not that. What Paul in Santa Cruz heard is the best example of what I heard: "The "Paint a black hole blacker" bits in "The Stranger" seem like an obvious Bushism."

Actually, I don't think I've heard another artist that I've thought sounds like Kate Bush.

(I should say that it's the way that portion of the song is arranged and sounds and maybe St. Vincent's delivery -- not the lyrics themselves -- that triggered the comparison for me)

i guess you could say some kate comparisons are more valid than others...

it just seems like such a lazy bad "female, a bit mad, slightly technological" reference point that it's come to be meaningless

Who else is supposed to sound like Kate Bush?

come on, i've heard it used to describe everyone from florence & the machine to voice of the sodding beehive

(anyway i don't actually care about this enough to argue - if it makes more people come around to st.vincent then fine use whatever terminology you want)

Who else is supposed to sound like Kate Bush?

Bat for Lashes, Florence and the Machine, a couple of songs w/female vocals on the last M83 album (e.g., "Up").

Patrick Wolf sounds like Kate Bush occasionally, and very deliberately. Also dresses like her from time to time too. He has a penis.

But yeah, I was saying to Em the other day, I don't know how I'd describe St. Vincent. At all.

Who else is supposed to sound like Kate Bush?

Blue Roses

one sad note - the album is solid gold awesome super brilliant for 7 tracks, but then loses momentum in the final stretch...'just the same but brand new' is really good, but 'the bed' and 'the party' slightly sabotage the flow

sheer martial panic of the slightly 'lonesome tears'-esque ending of 'black rainbow' into the similarly rising but this time utterly sweet rising motif of 'laughing...' = incredible feat of sequencing

erm delete the second 'rising'

The Party has such beautiful lyrics though, Louis.

Especially when she stops singing words.

i realise i'm pretty late to this, but having discovered this through the ilx albums poll a couple of months ago, i can safely say it's the most played thing i;ve had in the house this year... jesus is it already mid-April? I'll be 60 before I know it.

Annie has certain co-lineage w/ Sufjan; what mighst bequeathest if thee parturitate? Immediate immaculate and blinding white-hot winged ascension?

Tonight's Austin City Limits (http://video.pbs.org/video/1697650631/) demonstrates an axe-maven extraordinaire with, yes, the red lips and white skin of the aforementioned "minx" entrenched. It's all true; and i love her for it.

God save St. V!

the Sufjanphonic Squee

i want to eye fuck annie clark while she makes fuzzy noises with her electric guitar

Well it seems you've come to the right pl

Out of everything I discovered through last year's albums poll, "Actor" is the album that I come back to time and again. Absolutely amazing. Had it on constant rotation for 12 months and I still come back for more.

(realises he posted something similar only a few months back).

Set me on fire.

Is there a new album coming soon? Please!

holy shit shes awesome

Really excited for a new album from her, but I'm sure I'm the only person on ILM that thought the last one was a minor disappointment. It seemed to be universally loved, but I wasn't as excited by it as I was by her debut.

The last one wasn't a disappoint, but it wasn't nearly as entrancing as Marry Me.

that big black cover, oh yeah.

i want to eyefuck her while she makes fuzzy noises with her pedals

So great.

Wow. Yeah. "eyefucking". Great.

And you guys have a problem with how *I* talk about, say, Patrick Wolf on this board?

The track sounds totally generic, it’s like a mid-tier Lost Highway soundtrack song.

I'm getting Muse vibes from the new single.

haha can't unhear this

way to put me off even giving it a listen

“Broken Man” is the first thing I’ve heard since “Birth In Reverse” that I’m into - there’s a forward momentum that’s been missing since she went even more art rock/art project. Nice guitars too.

Second single "Flea" out today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E65yRApR9UU

NYT profile:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/18/arts/music/st-vincent-all-born-screaming.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWW4tFuzxGE

this is decent

reminds me of peter gabriel, u2's "numb"

Ha yeah, the spoken word part is very Numb. This is probably the best of the songs so far, but these are all leaving me cold. Her albums used to feel like such an event and I just don't feel hyped for this new one at all.

she really peaked with 'actor'. anything else i've heard hasn't hit nearly as hard. stunning record.

idk this new material is the most interested i've ever been in her

VMIC in the Criterion Closet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPQG0BKNVqY

Genuine WOW tho at her not being familiar with Ackerman.

Album is fun!

wow this is such a peter gabriel album

lol "violent times" sounds like muse??? but one of their ballads

i don't love it but i think this is my favourite album of hers, it's pretty good. the verse about sophie's death feels awkward and in poor taste though and i see people are already upset about it

i have generally really dug clark's work all the way since actor, not listened to this album yet. pretty stoked

reading this thread i'm like "yes!" "no." "yes!" "no." "ew, man i hope not" "YES!"

ok all the neg shit is about muse tbh