Combining the intelligence of the Pumpkins with the appeal of Hole
In a time when female’s singers are becoming increasingly frequent, Melissa Auf der Maur’s voice sits at the top end of the scale, far above Amy Lee’s whine and Jessika’s small-girl-turned-savage growl; and quite rightly so.
On this single the eerie beauty, which was so often found on Smashing Pumpkins records, is intensified by her refined, smooth-as-chocolate voice.
Auf der Maur use their lead singer’s previous experience with the Pumpkins and Hole to great effect. Not only does the single boast great vocals, but it also takes a leaf out of Hole’s book. Even if you despise Courtney Love, you have to admit that ‘Celebrity Skin’ was pretty catchy. Since Auf der Maur herself wrote it, it’s hardly surprising that Real A Lie is just as captivating.
The album version of Real A Lie is a vast improvement on the edited version. Without constraints on time, it slows down into the kind of sound you would expect to find as backing music for a horror film as the main character wanders through the woods, alone and afraid. Auf der Maur’s beautiful voice weaving in and out of the music, providing the perfect ending to a fantastic single-one of the best released this year. The debut album ‘Auf der Maur’ is on my shopping list this afternoon simply on the strength of this one single.