Top Ranking
Three years on from 'Misery Is A Butterfly' Blonde Redhead return with their seventh album in the form of '23'. Their reputation is already firmly cemented in underground circles and centres around the atmospheric (& at times eerie) vocals of Kazu Makino.
The title track '23' just sets the mood for the whole album perfectly. It's slightly ethereal but it's also lavish & moves along at pace whilst giving the impression of being much slower than it actually is. Makino's vocals are distinctive and fit the song perfectly, they are quite high pitched and have a slight edge to them, which really makes them stand out from the instruments. In the band's early days they were often compared to Sonic Youth but 14 years down the line they come over like a hybrid of Portishead and the Cardigans with a dose of Air thrown in.
There really isn't a bad song on this album, the whole feel of it just works and although the production gives it a consistent sound throughout there is good variety in tempo. 'The Dress' is quite a stunning piece of work; slower yet beautifully menacing in its execution it really sets the standard high. It's no surprise that '23' is released on 4AD as it more than compliments the back catalogue of that label, following in the footsteps of bands like Cocteau Twins. 'SW' sees the introduction of male vocals for the first time coupled with a pseudo brass accompaniment and again it just works without ever straying too far from the overall feel of the album. 'Spring and Summer Fall' is much more upbeat and features a great melody that is surely deserving of following the delightfully poppy 'Silently' & '23' as a single?
'Publisher' is a little harder whilst on 'Top Ranking' Makino really does sound uncannily like Nina Persson. It's all rounded off with 'My Impure Hair', which is probably the least memorable track on the album but as soon as it finishes you really do feel the need to hit the replay button just to keep the whole vibe that '23' creates going for a little longer. Blonde Redhead have produced something a bit special in '23' and if it doesn't feature when the 'albums of 2007' list inevitably appears then there will surely be many a raised eyebrow.