Grey Anne Releases Facts N Figurines
GreyDay Records Has a Winner with Songsmith's First CD
Nov 22, 2008
On an 11-track disc entitled facts n figurines released by GreyDay records, Grey Anne (formerly known as Per Se) has grouped together a combination of old standards that will be familiar to fans of her live shows with new tracks that further showcase her arsenal of song-writing skills.
This CD was mixed sensitively, so the multitude of styles she employs to get her messages across are well-articulated. To her credit this disc is not completely polished, but with its lo-fi sensibility continues to impart a taste of the charming, loop-sequenced DIY wizardry of her live performances.
The Flapjack Devilfish Flies...Finally
On the opening track golden ratio, she highlights one of the most attractive features of her music; an arabesque, ambient sensation she can produce with delightfully sparse instrumentation. Old favorite flapjack devilfish flies again has a certain luxurious lounge-music feel, while the sun and the liking lay bare a torn and bloody heart, providing explorations into a melancholy that is somehow irascible and never without hope, even in despair. And in riddle and last call Grey Anne shows she isn't afraid to lay down some fun, funky pop.
Superlazy is a languid track whose relaxing drone can’t help but induce the state of being referenced in its title. Chinese new year and the popular adelaide are strongly impressionistic lyrically speaking: they tell stories by penetrating through the literal meaning of the words to go straight at the feelings underneath. In fact, all throughout facts n figurines there is a willingness to use language to either coyly hint at or directly expose the powerful, yet sometimes tantalizingly ungraspable emotional states so present in the music itself.
Grey Anne’s Alternative Music Soulmates
In facts n figurines, Adams' combination of catchy melodies, imaginative instrumentation, and stark honesty has yielded a diamond with just enough ‘rough.’ Her originality makes it a challenge to elicit direct comparisons, but there are spiritual companions to be found among well-known musicians. While she doesn’t ‘sound like’ any of them, there are certain emotional commonalities with other artists. Her music might appeal to those who love:
- the softer, more vulnerable side of Liz Phair,
- the unabashed girlishness of old Dressy Bessy, or
- the raw melodic attractiveness of (the vastly underrated) Marcy Playground.
One might also hear snippets of dreamy chord progressions vaguely reminiscent of Billy Corgan, and bright, witty lyrics such as Edie Brickell could deliver. Definitely worth checking out.
 |
