More disturbingly-delightful Art-rock...
The title of this album is most fitting for the kind of sound Queen Adreena make, and reflects their ability to seamlessly blend such intense anger with a sense of such delicacy and fragility.
The pleasure-pain sensation that you get from listening to Queen Adreena manifests itself perhaps most effectively in the album's opening track, 'Suck'. Beginning with and ominous, pounding drumbeat, Katie-Jane Garside's distinctive voice sets the scene for the song's haunting melody. Garside's vocals are without a doubt the most interesting aspect of this band; the word that most readily springs to mind as soon as you hear her voice is 'cute', but cute in the same way that a baby crocodile might be quite cute... before it bites your leg off. Garside's vocals seem both pretty and angelic, whilst simultaneously feeling sinister and sensuous. In 'Suck', she begins with almost child-like innocence before the song builds to a frenzied loss of control halfway through.
'Birdsnest Hair', 'Child-Proof', 'Cold Light of Day' and 'Ascending Stars' are all slightly more subdued; some are almost acoustic, with a wispy, dreamlike feel, while 'Join the Dots' and 'Wolverines', though not quite as instantly catchy as some tracks, take on a more bluesy, slinky, slow-paced swagger, as the vocals become more breathy and sexy.
However, 'Medicine Jar' (the second single taken from the album, expected for release on 4th June) 'Black Spring Rising', 'Princess Carwash' and 'Racing Towards the Sun' begin to really show what the band are capable of; harsh, metallic sounding electric guitar, catchy hooks, a dark bass line and more powerful vocals from Garside combine to make these intricate songs that really pack a punch.
But the stand out tracks on the album has to be the album’s first single 'FM Doll' (lyrically inspired by the murder of a young American girl in 1996) and the passionate, 'In Red'. Both songs incorporate Queen Adreena's trademark concoction of anger and beauty, whilst making the best of Garside's Kate Bush-meets-Courtney Love wail.
Although there are a few tracks on this album that allow your attention to wane slightly, there are more that will entice you in before their energy devours you whole. Frightening and beautiful, sinister and pretty, and intricate enough to make this an album to listen to over and over again.