Prog Rock meets BBC Radiophonic Workshop on this album by US artist Tara Busch. Vocals, analogue noise and 70’s Rock rhythms make for uneasy, ever so slightly unnerving listening.
Tara surely swims against the stream on ‘Pilfershire Lane’. The album hums with vintage analogue sounds and contains some fine moments for fans of experimental music, but it’s also laced with vocals and vocals are a bit of a no go area for many electronic music heads I know. The vocals are pretty much in your face as Tara’s singing style is determinedly acrobatic: She’s got a considerable range and she’s not afraid to use it. Tara occasionally hits notes that would let Kate Bush pale with envy.
Then there is the Prog Rock influence. Others may place their tongue firmly in cheek and make some smart Progressive Rock references in their music. Purely for those in the know, you know. Tara’s Prog Rock leanings sound much more serious than that. Large chunks of ‘Pilfershire Lane’ actually sound like Tara is seriously hankering to be back in 1973 and play on the sessions for Manfred Mann’s Earthband’s space rock opera ‘Solar Fire’.
What sets Tara apart from mere 70’s tribute bands are the lyrics. Few rockers would have been that outspoken about their personal affairs and fewer still would have used Tara’s direct language. Where Prog Rock likes to speak in riddles, Tara exorcises demons from her past in ‘Get Drunk & Fuck’ and ‘Pour The Bottle’.
At times, ‘Pilfershire Lane’ transcends all the heavy stuff and enters the childlike futuristic plateau of White Noise, the band formed by BBC Radiophonic Workshop’s queen of spacey ‘Dr Who’ sound effects, Delia Derbyshire, in the late 60’s. For my money, these moments are the highlights of the album. Check out ‘Pilfershire Lane/Simsbury 1978′, the psychedelic tinted ‘This Is Love’ and the mellow closer ‘We Can See Mars’.
Watch Tara In Maf Lewis’ Video For ‘This Is Love’
‘Pilfershire Lane’ is pretty intense and tough going at times. Tara’s style of singing isn’t really my cup of tea - I never got into Tori Amos and there’s only one Kate Bush song I like (’Running Up That Hill’ for those big tribal drums) - but there’s a theatrical atmosphere to the album that makes it a bit like following a strange radio play which is quite addictive.
‘Pilfershire Lane’ is also a bit like an attic crammed with odd bits, you might not find anything you like at first but you want to come back and rummage some more. See what you make of it yourself.
‘Pilfershire Lane’ is due out on 20th July 2009 on Tummy Touch Records.
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