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LIQUORICE
Listening Cap
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One of 4AD's newest and most impressive bands released
their first LP in July to very little hype or advertisement of
any kind. This is extremely unfortunate because this is one of
the best albums of the year. It was produced by His Name is
Alive's Warren Defever at his house in Michigan. Although it
doesn't sound much like HNIA, Warren left his signature on the
album, especially on 'Drive Around' one of the album's real
pearls.
It opens with the single 'Trump Suit,' a pretty mellow,
rather brilliant cut on its own, but it just gets better from
there. From the beginning Liquorice's witty lyrics stand
out.('They couldn't find a type face that was bold enough to take
you. That's the kind of face I take to.' Or on 'Cheap
Cuts'--'Your talk is so terribly tired that it's verbal
chloroform'.) Why didn't I think of that?
The instrumentation on this album is really impressive.
The spare, sad piano on 'Jill of All Trades' is perfect for the
mood the lyrics create. The banjo (believe it or not) on 'Cheap
Cuts' will blowe it or not) on 'Cheap
Cuts' will blow away the most rabid bluegrass hater.
'Breaking the Ice', a track toward the end, is a real
low point on the disc, but even this boner isn't enough to
detract from the overall euphoria this album creates. Liquorice
is pretty damn tasty.
Dave Robbins
© 1995, Rational Alternative Digital