David Byrne and St Vincent – Brass Tactics EP
(4AD)
Free DL
Out Now
You don’t get much for free in these times,
and, when you do, you quickly realise why you didn’t have to pay. It comes as a rather pleasant surprise then
to be gifted a five track EP, of great quality, from two of modern times’ most
original singers and performers.
Last years Love This Giant album by David Byrne
and St Vincent was met with great critical acclaim for its ingenious brass band
instrumentation and the Brass Tactics EP carries on that theme, cleverly
released as a free download to entice more people back to the album.
Opener, Cissus, which didn’t make it onto the
album, is a beautiful waltz featuring the equally beautiful voice of St Vincent’s Annie Clark. Her voice is quite simply stunning and has
echoes of Empress Of quite likely capable of making grown men swoon. Her angelic tones float along with the
curious backing of a Yorkshire Colliery brass band sound and a quite amazing
glass harmonica. How this ever avoided
being included on any album is quite beyond belief.
We then have two remixes from the Giant album –
I Should Watch TV and Lightning. The
former sees Byrne take lead on an electronic trip-hop adventure with a terrific
stomp drumbeat. Backing himself on lead
vocals and interspersed funky brass section.
Lightning has a James Brown styled funk, again with Clark displaying a
quite extraordinary vocal scale throughout.
Two live tracks, familiar to each individual
artist, close the EP. Marrow is a
peculiar little number with an explosive frenetic brass interlude after a
placid beginning. Brilliant drums,
bass and screeching guitar solo. Closing
is Road To Nowhere which is given a clever update with, amongst other things,
trumpet, sousaphone and trombone. A
classic pop song given a new lease of life.
Great stuff.
8.5/10
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