ST. VINCENT – Strange Mercy (Part 2)

Greg catches up on St. Vincent’s discography, comparing everything to everything and digging into some compositional hooha and actually calling out one of the songs on the album as cold and monotonous. But only one song. He’s on the Annie Clark boat, fyi. But did he answer Brandon’s question? No. Of course not.

St. Vincent – Strange Mercy Teaser 3 (because it’s awesome)

St. Vincent – “Strange Mercy” (performance at The Met 8.25.2011)

Hear Strange Mercy in its entirety.

From: Greg Schmidt
To: Brandon Hall

Until now, “The Strangers” off of Actor was the only St. Vincent track I’d heard (I think off a KCRW sampler). The last few days I’ve been playing catch-up with her catalog. After listening to her three albums, I think I’m ready to jump on the Annie Clark boat. Musically, Strange Mercy moves away from the lush arrangements, cutesy vocals and theatrical sound of Marry Me that I associate with Joanna Newsom and Van Dyke Parks. That sound has never appealed to me. Actor is a really interesting album, but I still find it stuck in that familiar Feist/Hanne Huckelberg territory. It’s not that Strange Mercy is more unique or original, I just find it a more complex and interesting sound, or, at the very least, more appealing to my ears. The album has an edge and grit unmatched by her previous work. I like the percussive quality of her lyrics and the way she uses repetition to add to the rhythm. While there’s still some familiar arrangement work, it plays better when contrasted by the mindless drive of the electronic beats and fuzzy bass.

I was also struck by a stark difference in Clark’s attitude and character when compared to previous albums. The song “Cheerleader” sums it up:  “I’ve played dumb, when I knew better, tried so hard, just to be clever.” She no longer seems to be working to dazzle us with her wit. The lyrics on Strange Mercy are sparser, more poetic, less gimmicky, and more revealing.

Strange Mercy is an enjoyable, engaging listen. I love the mix of acoustic and electronic instruments, like the guitar against the drum and bass on “Neutered Fruit.” And Annie Clark’s calm and controlled voice is a wonderful contrast to the spastic electronic beats. Really, the only misstep is “Hysterical Strength” which loses itself in its cold and monotonous drone. My personal favorite is “Year of the Tiger,” which sounds like a B side from Beck’s Sea Change.

“I’ve had good times/With some bad guys,”
Greg

Strange Mercy is out 9/13 via 4AD. Order from Amazon or iTunes.