[.ca] Advisory Committee

From Amazon.com:
Indie chanteuse Mirah continues to lead listeners through sonic tunnels; her second album, Advisory Committee, brims with love songs for strong, nomadic hearts. Often, what starts as a folk ditty ends as a sonorous whirlwind, and the trip is almost spiritual. Mirah's guileless, Edie Brickell-ish vocal prowess is the only constant, the calm inside the storm. Advisory Committee opens with the artist's most impressive feat to date--the stirring "Cold Cold Water." Its charging momentum, classic orchestral components, and use of environmental imagery bring to mind movie scores as opposed to indie rock. When Mirah sings, "Don't take my love lightly," on the organ-fuelled "Light the Match," she ain't kidding. She and coproducer Phil Elvrum (the Microphones) employ everything from creepy carnival music and wailing violins ("Special Death") to electro cut-and-paste trickery and out-of-tune acoustic guitars ("Mt. St. Helens"). But the album's defining characteristic is how each arrangement lulls the listener while abruptly shifting gears. Advisory Committee is a rare gem--once you're exposed to its transporting powers, you won't want to leave. --Jeanne Fury

you search all day for just one taste of the cold cold water:
I knew I had to get this when I first heard opening track "Cold Cold Water" as the first track on a mixtape. With it's immaculately detailed almost ennio morricone-sounding epic orchestral backing mixed with Mirah's own confident but fragile and low-key vocal style, it brings to mind a much-less-pretentious Bjork (no offense, I like Bjork...). I was initially dissapointed that the rest of the album is much more minimalist, mostly alternating between simple folk-ish acoustic guitar numbers and almost synth-pop-like keyboard and drum machine pieces, but ultimately the album is still appealing thanks to unusual instrumental touches (the violins and pump organs that give "light the match" an exotic gypsy-folk feel, the steel drums in the title track), and most of all Mirah's sensual lyrics, gorgeous melodies and warm singing.

raw music:
it takes a couple of listenings to to figure out which songs are the catchy ones and which ones are the genuinely good ones. but either way, all of the songs have this unpolished sound that makes it feel as if you're listening to her around a campfire or something, even with all the special effects. 'make it hot' 'recomendations' 'after you left' 'sun' and 'body below' are my personal favorites.

You have a pressure in you/To destroy the one who loved you:
This album is epic and amazing - I can't believe more people don't know about it.

Clear expression, beautiful delivery:
Mirah tugs at the listener's heartstrings. At first, her voice sounds like one belonging to a young girl, but then she dives deeper and shows you, without trying, how devastating she can be. Perfectly placed loud crashes in the title track balance well with lighter melodies such as "Recommendation." "Cold cold water," "After you left" and "Monument" are so well-written that it's easy to feel Mirah's heartbreak even if you've never felt your own. Sometimes she's almost whispering on "Body below" but it sounds like she's right in your ear, so it's a lovely experience. Absolutely the best album I've heard in years.

But it's really like this...:
"I'm so number one that it's a shame...that you let other numbers in the game." Mirah's lyrics are crossed between a teen poet's diary entries and something totally other-worldy. If her voice doesn't capture you immediately, the almost hypnotic quality of her music will. Perfect for days when you're alone and it's raining. Or whenever you feel like it. Weather really has nothing to do with it. You've heard this before, but not like this.

• Cold Cold Water
• After You Left
• Make It Hot
• Mt. St. Helens
• Recommendation
• Body Below
• Sun
• Advisory Committee
• Special Death
• Garden
• Light the Match
• Apples in the Trees
• Monument