'MASSEDUCTION' is the 5th solo studio album from experimental pop pioneer Annie Clark, better known by her stage name St. Vincent. Annie comes from an eclectic musical background - after studying at Berklee College of Music she began her musical career as a member of the Polyphonic Spree, before leaving to join Sufjan Stevens’ touring band. In 2007 Annie released her debut album under the St. Vincent moniker, titled ‘Marry Me’. From then on, she has received widespread critical acclaim for her thought provoking and highly distinct musical style.
Contrary
to what we may have expected from the album's first singles, the
record opens on a rather subdued note. ‘Hang on Me’ sets an
appropriate tone for what's to follow, filled
with electronic influences, droning and distorted bass lines, and a
warped double-tracked vocal, that slowly build alongside spacious strings
and various other melodic additions. In the second track ‘Pills’ St.
Vincent turns it up a welcome notch. The harmonized guitar solo is a
definite highlight, bringing a nice, nasty contrast to an otherwise
playful sounding pop composition. Clark's electronic experimentation continues
on the title track ‘Masseduction’, which sees her wide vocal range
take the spotlight. She moves seamlessly between falsetto
and captivatingly low melodies, creating different sonics
throughout. The second single off the album ‘Los Ageless’ is practical pop
perfection. The chorus is as catchy as any other hit, but the middle-eight is
on another level entirely. Dirty guitar riffs, distorted vocals
and heavy kick drums come together
perfectly, showing real emotion and setting Annie apart from
her more conventional pop peers.
There
are some real moments of intimacy on ‘MASSEDUCTION’. ‘Happy Birthday, Johnny’
is a piano ballad that makes a feature of an intriguing and beautifully
textured slide guitar. The listener could be forgiven for wanting a break from
the aggression of the preceding tunes and this track duly delivers. 'Savior' is
another slow builder, that starts with a sparse instrumental before industrial
beats and sound design kick in with significant effect. On the penultimate
track, 'Slow Disco', the expansive orchestral arrangement builds slowly against
Annie’s intimate vocal, drawing in the listener in a surprisingly
soothing way.
For
all its positives, there are still a few missteps. When Clark introduces more
up-beat tracks she seems to lose intensity. ‘Sugarboy’ has influences of Donna
Summer’s disco hit ‘I Feel Love’ with an arpeggiating bass line that
feels completely out of place on an album with such industrial sounding
percussion elsewhere. In ‘Young Lover’ the four-on-the-floor beat feels almost
lazy and falls short compared to the rest of the track listing.
With
‘MASSEDUCTION’, St. Vincent has produced a challenging body of work. The
incredible production and sound design throughout throw up unexpected surprises
listen after listen. There are minor hints she may be aiming for a
more mainstream pop record, but with such innovation throughout, this never
detracts from the experience as a whole.
8/10
Listen to 'Los Ageless' here
Best track - Los Ageless
Worst track - Young Lover
Listen to 'Los Ageless' here
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