|
Ember Swift - 'Permanent Marker'
Few'll Ignite Sound
 (RA) "Quickly"
Artist: Ember Swift
Title: Permanent Marker
Labels: Few'll Ignite Sound
Genre: Jazz-Funk-Folk-Punk
Well, I was gonna call them punk until I heard the first track, 'Quickly'.
The way they dress, little ol' ladies would be quick to judge punk, but the
music they exude bears closer examination. 'Quickly' is filled with smart
lyrics, odd piano playing (nearly the kind your kid brother will do when he
finds a piano in a room and has never played before), and style. 'Freaks'
doesn't even seem to have guitars; it's a keyboard sound I can't figure out
(muted violin?), dying horn, drums, and Ember's vocals which are teaming
over with humor and hatred. Comedy rule #1 - if you can't laugh at it, it
will drive you crazy.
This band, this Swift is the sort of force of nature that you don't want to
mess with. It's fun to listen to her, and she damn well says some of the
things we all wish we could mouth, but I wouldn't want to meet her in a
dark kitchen. And oh man, you must hear her tear down the army bullshit in
'The Army Song'. The orchestration reminds me of something like an updated
off-Broadway 'Cabaret' album. It's just good.
'she bites her bottom lip to keep her thoughts contained. she thinks that
if her tongue should slip she'd have to fight the stain. the skin is like
an ancient sponge that sucks in pain like ink. new love won't wash, scrub
raw, flesh loose. you cannot love the stain away with use.' This is from
'Ink' and it's spooky. I wish the sound was bigger the further you get into
the song, like grinding up the guitars and spitting some of the words out
with venom. But this CD isn't about spitting or grinding. I think it's
about breaking down some stereotypes, via the band and the lyric subjects
both. And I applaud it. May you sell lots and start scoring shoe
commercials never.
back
| top
|
|
|
