CLIFFIE SWAN
Memories Come True
Drag City
Debut album from female quintet formerly known as Lights
(new moniker is an attempt to distance themselves from Canadian artist Valerie
Poxleitner’s project, although who or what a Cliffie Swan is remains a
mystery). ‘Dream Chain’ suggests we’re in for an Olivia Newton-John country
album, but ‘Soft And Mean’ about-faces into some interesting guitar and
electronic effects to accompany the treacly-sweet harmonies. You’ll also find
some grungy girl-group cooing (‘Yes I Love You’), a dreamy title track with
some nice flute flourishes and omnipresent harmonies, an interesting a capella
tribal chant (‘Home’), and, best of all, a killer, wah-wah infected, swaying
arms akimbo closer, ‘Climb on Top’, whose lyrics thankfully avoid the sexual
innuendos implicit in the title.
‘Full of Pain’ tries on some fancy guitar pyrotechnics
before settling into a rather nifty Savoy Brown groove (think ‘Hellbound
Train’), and ‘California Baby’ appropriates a familiar Grateful Dead riff for a
suitably spacey effect.
It’s all rather agreeable, but may be a tad too twee(n)
for some, like an ephemeral, muslin gauze kite floating through a
lavender-scented summer breeze, occasionally redirected by an icy updraft.
Lights fans (and anyone with the entire Sarah catalogue in their collection)
will probably love it. For others, it’s more syrupy, girl-next-door Bangles
than slutty, party-loving Go Go’s; Fanny is also a good signpost (or the
Millington sister’s subsequent Ladies Of
The Stage release), but singer Sophia Knapp (whose solo single Drag City
also recently released) really does remind me mostly of Olivia trying to rock
out. Not necessarily a bad thing, just don’t come to the party expecting to
spend a lot of time on the dancefloor. (And despite what you may have read
elsewhere, they sound nothing like
Buckingham-Nicks-era Fleetwood Mac!)
Jeff Penczak
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