Gretchen Lieberum - Siren Songs
An album that has been around in America for two years or more has finally reached the UK and has that ever so slight out of date appeal. Siren Songs is a pretty heart wrenching release, provoked into composition or at least influenced heavily, by the death of a close pal. Featuring covers from Flaming Lips and Massive Attack, Gretchen manages to converge the trip hop, down-tempo and jazz genres but unfortunately perhaps sounding more like compilation CD that was ever popular five years ago.
See, truth is - it's not a particularly good cover of Massive Attack's most famous tune "Teardrop", as challenging such a classic was never going to be a simple task. Its mere existence almost makes me question the artist's motives. Did the LA singer/songwriter actually intend for the siren songs to be heard by a wide audience?
The album has received many reviews- most of which give the CD the thumbs up, yet I struggle to see past its middle of the wish list reputation. Siren Songs has its moments, with "You closer" a lyrical wonder - emphasising on the albums continual theme. "Please let me believe in some hereafter" sums up the longing-ness of the album.
The end product is rather depressing; hints of Zero 7 and Massive Attack are evident throughout. Discovery of this album for most would probably have been accidental and I have no doubt that such a discovery would be a pleasant one. I guess it's just sad to say, it is definitely not something I would go out looking for, but when it fell in my lap, it didn't offend me in the slightest.