Bat For Lashes ~~~ Fur And Gold

Not a return of New Music Tuesdays, but it's an album just released in the United States, and it's Tuesday, so close enough.

Browsing Urge, I came upon this album, it's good. Any album where the first song rocks the harpsichord is all good (or at least the harpsichord sounding synth).

Also, auto harp is featured prominently.

I hadn't heard of Bat For Lashes, but it's an English band, featuring Natasha Khan as the lead singer.

Two videos are up at YouTube from this album, and they're interesting.

First up, "What's a Girl to Do?". The song is solid, and the video is creative. It's just people riding bikes on a darkened road. But, for those folks with a fetish for furries and bmx bikers, this video is for you!

Next up, "Prescilla", this should be something I loathe, but I like it anyway. The music could be straight out of 1987, and the video could be straight out of 1967, but it works.

Listening to the album, I'm reminded of that song from Wickerman, Willow Song. YouTube is dastardly, though. Found the music, but not Brit Ekland from the original film, instead some yobbo having a bit of fun.

The album's not bad, some moments are great, Natasha has an excellent voice, but some of the tracks are forgettable, and there's not a lot compellingly different about the album than the stuff from which it's derived. There's a hint of Sinead O'Connor in her vocals, and a strong whiff of pre-glam T.Rex in the overall faeries and dragons feel to the whole project (not musically, though, no white swans were ridden during the production of this album). Some tracks are seriously Bjork-ish (and that ain't bad).

Maybe I'm just being cranky old guy, who can't help but compare every new artist to someone else from 15, 20, 25, 30, or 40 years ago. It's hard to be original when every thing's already been done.

Originality is overrated, anyway. If you're going to be derivative, do it well. This album is mostly well done (and mostly derivative).