| Artist |
| 20goto10 |
| Title |
| Elizabeth, Haunted By Ghosts |
| Format/Cat |
| CD PM029 |
| Label: |
| Plastiq Musiq |
| Style |
| Electronica |
| Date of review |
| 22nd April 2007 |
| Reviewer |
| Carl Jenkinson |
| Rating |
| 9/10 |
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Any Commodore computer users from way back when will no doubt have felt a pang of reminiscence upon seeing this US quintet's name! By adopting such an unashamedly old-skool moniker it's as if they're declaring their retro allegiance for all to hear but, while the analogue influence is an important part of their sound, it's actually only a part of the story as, far from being the light, bleepy experience I was initially expecting the music herein benefits from an additional gothic/darkwave mood, which the cover art & song titles all hint at & which evokes the story that is at the heart of the album. Add to this an imaginative musical approach & it makes for a most absorbing listen that constantly surprises & leaves the listener wondering at the bredth of their musical vision, resurrecting the raw feel of such British indie legends as Fad Gadget or Thomas Leer & Robert Rental (the guitar & bass work of Corey Allen Jenkins proving of great importance in this respect) while proving equally as pioneering in making the music many times more complex, dark & melancolic in a manner that shows they're about far more than just resurrecting the past. Neither is it all clever-clever stuff as tracks such as 'I Know Of You' simply exude emotion with Sara Anne Eugene's darkwave-orientated vocals adding the finishing touch to each track with her masterfully sultry performance on the closing '....Creatures Left Alone' being the highlight, setting the mood for the potent musical tapestry that includes some Theremin work (the genuine article, no less) from Matthew George Sturgeon; such is her talent, in fact, that even her habit of dropping her h's & t's in places only cheapens proceedings by the tiniest amount (although it is a tad irritating!) Her duet with Sturgeon on 'I Know Of You' is also very impressive, setting a sultry mood that isn't dented even by the more abstract elements that appear later, backed by a gliding wordless voice that is all the more effective for being barely audible. The head of steam that the initially minimalistic feel of 'Hard Shadows' eventually builds up makes for a rip-roaring climax that is in stark contrast to what has gone before (& is thus all the more effective for it) & seems to herald a slightly harder second half, leading straight into the pacey 'A Strange Victory', which makes the boldest old-skool statement yet, resurrecting the industrial elements that are so much a part of electro music's past while 'The Mess You Left Isn't Leaving You' explores this still further with its lo-fi, almost garage-like feel that is just another facet of the band's versatile sound. The album surpassed my expectations manyfold, being the perfect fusion of emotion, imagination, passion & drama; in short, a perfect example of what electronic music is all about & one I cannot recommend highly enough. |
