I'm very obsessive when I fall in love with a new band or record.....I'll just play that album over and over in the car to and from work. Then when I get super crazy about it I'll start pushing it on my friends. There have only been a handful of records that have qualified for this obsession in the past decade....but when I find one it is all that much more sweet. Although there are many great bands out there today writing many great songs.....lets face it, we live in a world of singles in 2012.
Every once in a while a band crafts a GREAT album. What qualifies for a great album? There are so many factors.
Obviously pure musical ability is a factor.......maybe a great voice, great production.......but when an album is elevated to GREAT, for me it is because of how the album flows. How one song relates to the next, and the way the first song grips you and takes you through to the final note.
A year or so ago I was in Grooves record store in London, ON. (the place to go to find GREAT music). As usual, I'm asking the dude behind the counter who the newest or best local band is at the time. That day the clerk told me to check out "Handsome Dan and his Gallimaufry". Pretty elaborate and interesting band name I must say. Is there a guy in the band named Handsome Dan? Is he in fact Handsome? Anyways.....when I asked "what do they sound like", he replied...."Well, the guy from Handsome Dan plays in Olenka....so.....they are pretty cool".
I ended up purchasing Handsome Dan, but when the guy tried to explain how good they were by referencing the other band that he plays in.....I couldn't help but wonder who this Olenka was. The store was sold out of all their Olenka albums, so I went home and bought "And Now We Sing" from iTunes.
The first track "Odessa" showcases all aspects of lead singer Olenka Krakus and her group the Autumn Lovers. Deep, soulful singing........soaring harmonies, bouncing classical guitar that is kissed by rich violin and cello. Initially, I couldn't make it much past the first track. Just kept repeating it over and over and singing along. Once I started letting the album play through, that was when I realized the Gem I had discovered.
The next song that really gripped me was "Mama's Bag". I can't tell for sure if it is a romantic tale that Krakus is recounting from a novel she read....or whether it is a more personal story. Either way, the combination of the lyrical imagery, and the way the vocal and guitar melodies intertwine.....a very pretty tune.
The deeper you listen into the album, the more you understand Krakus' vocal mastery. Similar to the way Bjork tests the boundaries of the human voice.......Krakus busts out a vocal clinic. For anyone that remembers and loves the Velvet Underground and Nico album.....imagine if Nico could actually sing. (Thats right, I said it).
The other elements on "And Now We Sing" that should not be overlooked are both the warm, intimate production, and the blazing lead guitar work.....both electric and slide guitar. Recorded at the House of Miracles in London by Indie legend Andy Magoffin.....the album has an electricity that is captured with brilliance on each track.
And just like any great album..........there is an epic track. Louise of Littleville is that track that just nails the coffin. A singalong melody, and a slowly building momentum that pulls together the records' best moments and holds them up for all to hear.
I realize I am pretty late to the rodeo with this post......many Londoners are probably reading this and wondering where I have been, considering Olenka has been a fixture of the local music scene for years. Well, that doesn't make me any less of a fan.....and I'm hoping to spread Olenka's music to some new ears. I had the opportunity to speak with Olenka when she was in Chatham for Culture Factory's Indiefest this past August, and learned that she is putting the finishing touches on her third full length album. I'm not sure how she plans to top the greatness of "And Now We Sing"......but something tells me I might be writing a follow up post in the new year.
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