St. Vincent's beautiful storm

I'd read a whole lot about this St. Vincent/Annie Clark character, but as I've been stuck on a constant feeding tube of Stevie Wonder and Animal Collective (No, I can't explain why) lately, I let the actual act of listening to her music fall way to the sidelines — it was one of those records that I'd been meaning to listen to, but just never got around to it.

But holy hell, I'm glad I decided to stop being so passive.

I just got through the new record, Actor, and I'm extraordinarily smitten.

From what I'd heard (little lady, big voice, lush soundscapes), I expected a more atmospheric Regina Spektor, minus much of the, ahem, kitch factor.

What I got, however, is a lot closer to the latest Portishead album — a beautiful voice singing catchy, affecting melodies with worth-a-closer-reading lyrics caught in a storm of truly engaging, darkly mysterious (almost) trip-hoppy beats. But, truly, that is an overly simplified description of music that is endlessly layered in both sound texture and meaning.

Take "Laughing With a Mouth of Blood," for example. We've got Clark's delicate, lilting voice singing about her old friends and televangelists over a spritely, back and forth bouncing beat. Sounds positively pleasant, right? It could be, but there's a weight to Clark's music. No matter what she's singing about, the way her voice and music combine forms this heavy wall of indescribable emotion, this feeling that she means it, that she's felt pain you've only dreamt of.

Pop music, my friends, this is not.

"All of my old friends, aren't so friendly" would hurt sung by anyone, but it stings here.


Then there's "Marrow." The beat could be an outtake from the latest Bloc Party record — all chunky, breaking synths and pulsing drums and angry guitars piling up on each other like aggravated rugby players — but Clark's voice, quieter here than usual, gives the song an unnerving feel. Whereas the last Bloc Party just sounded awkward and forced, this tune might as well be the soundtrack to your night in a haunted house. And you're not coming out anywhere near sane in the morning.

Clark's first single off the record, "Actor Out of Work," is similarly arresting. With different music behind her, Clark's vocals could be a lullaby. But the song's driving, steady guitar and percussion keep things moving fast, hard, strong.

Check it out:


So what's the bottom line?

Don't slack on checking out the new good stuff, even when you're in the middle of a Stevie Wonder phase.