The astonishingly named Australian artist Amaya Laucirica has a new album called Rituals, just out, her fifth in all, but her first international release. It's pretty much fascinated me since I listened to it first a couple of days ago. Mostly because of the things it reminded me of and the way it fits so snugly within the traditions it establishes for itself. It's a great record!
Laucirica was brought up in the Australian outback, and somehow, listening to Rituals and following the clues it lays down, that fact makes perfect sense. First track Little Clouds opens up in a manner highly reminiscent of The Triffids Wide Open Road, all wide eyed transcendental awe at this phenomenal space. Elsewhere, the record sounds like the one that Grant McLennan might have come up with on the original break up of The Go Betweens at the end of the Eighties, had he decided to produce and write for band member Amanda Brown, (the woman he loved at that point in time), rather than go off to record his own solo stuff.
High praise indeed and Rituals is well worthy of it. It evokes the space and sound of Born Sandy Devotional and 16 Lovers Lane without ever encroaching on their territory. There are definitely some eighties production values and sounds on the record, (a huge part of its appeal), and all the while Laucirica's voice floats effortlessly across the spaces established by them. While not an exceptional voice in itself, it's effectively used to add to a considerable mood which becomes more compelling with every play of the album.
Rituals comes up with one or two barnstorming moments on an album of solid songs which although it might occasionally feel as if you've been served up a bit too much Angel's Delight for dessert, generally stands it ground. In addition to All of our Time which Grant himself would have been proud of, I'd single out Endangered Man, which sounds like Serge Gainsbourg, Mick Harvey and Jane Birkin meeting up in a dream. One of the very best songs I've heard this year.
A couple of tracks on comes Could This Be which sounds like the song that David Lynch forgot to include on the original Twin Peaks soundtrack. Minutes later the album comes to an end and you really begin to think, 'should I just play the whole thing over again?' Rituals has considerable merits which I hope I've sold successfully to you and you'll have a listen to discover its pleasurable depths for yourself. All in all a fine album which deserves to find a considerable appreciative audience.
No comments:
Post a Comment