Customer Reviews

Russian Doll

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Violet Indiana is the new project of Robin Guthrie (ex-cocteau twins) and Siobhan de Mare (ex-mono). This is their second proper album (not counting the USA release "Casino" which was a collection of UK EPs and b-sides) after "Roulette". Stand out tracks include "new girl", "you", and "beyond the furr" and "close the world." The album definitelty benefits from repeated listens and is great late night listening. Violet Indiana is a unique act in this world of homogenized, mass produced music.

I have read and heard a lot of criticism surrounding Violet Indiana. If you read between the lines of what people are saying, it all boils down to one thing- reviewers just can not get over the fact that Robin Guthrie has recorded songs without Liz Frazier. Truth is, Violet Indiana is a fantastic step in Guthrie's career- it's like he has found a beautiful new color palette to paint with. The writing and performance of these songs is every bit as good as anything Guthrie has done in the past- and Siobhan de Mare's vocals blend beautifully with Guthrie's dreamy guitar compositions. In fact, being able to understand the lyrics that are being sung adds a whole new depth of emotion and meaning to the songs. The lyrics are often tinged with just a hint of sadness, which compliments Guthrie's musical style perfectly. If Guthrie had changed his name for the Violet Indiana CD's, everyone would be giving them five out of five stars. Don't let the nay-sayers sway your opinion- Violet Indiana is lush, beautiful, dreamy, and it will sweep you away from reality as well as anything that Guthrie has done in the past. And escaping from reality for a while is something that is a true gift these days!

RUSSIAN DOLL was the third and last album by Violet Indiana, the duo of vocalist Sioban de Mare and guitarist Robin Guthrie. Violet Indiana took a lot of knocks by critics and Cocteau Twins fans, who were let down by Guthrie's new choice of vocalist after years of working with the divine Elizabeth Fraser. I tried to avoid such prejudices, and though earlier Violet Indiana efforts weren't all that great, I found at least a few good moments here and there.

On RUSSIAN DOLL, however, I sympathize with most criticisms. These two musicians don't sound like they are relating to each other at all. Sioban de Mare's vocals are completely detached from Guthrie's guitar lines, and the fact that they sound together on disc seems a mere coincidence. De Mare's lyrics are the same tiresome sex kitten enchantments or sly innuendo from one track to the next.

I don't at all regret discovering Violet Indiana (the track "Killer Eyes" off the first album is boundlessly deep ear candy), but all in all the band didn't leave much of a mark and they went out here with a wimper.

Like Casino, I want to like Russian Doll. I like Guthrie and de Mare, but the combo just doesn't work for me. With the exception of "New Girl", the tracks are forgettable and over-produced. "New Girl" is Robin Guthrie at his best, and Mare is giving it her all, but even as the best track the two artists' styles work against each other. I find myself being distracted from the mood of the music by the pop lyrics, and sometimes Guthrie's wall-of-noise guitar sounds so out of place under the pop melodies. I'd love to hear de Mare backed up by simpler, more pop-ish music and hear Guthrie's guitar work under a more vocally esoteric singer (like Becke Gainforth.)