W-S Burn

"Birdsong In Stereo" CDR

Dust Wind Tales

Genre: singer / songwriter, experimental, folk

Texas, USA

Feb 23, 2009

Part Bjork and part Cat Power, but far more experimental than either hipster chanteuse, W-S Burn is an impassioned if surprisingly inaccessible singer/songwriter act that crafts eerie and atmospheric songs that have more to do with atmosphere than typical pop mentality. As a result, Birdsong in Stereo will appeal to the more adventurous listener, its charm manifested in its wistful instrumentation, dreamlike lyrics, and pretty if unconventional vocals. Whether this is your bag will depend on your patience as well as your affinity for freeform, amelodic singer/songwriter fare – specifically, your ability to appreciate the atmospheric rather than melodic qualities of these songs. With that said, the haunting third track and the ethereal ninth track are the most memorable ventures on this disc. It really is quite an experience to drop into Burn's dark and mysterious world, like being slipped into a vague, labyrinthine film noir. The band's lyrics and musical aesthetics are startlingly personal, yet eerie and detached at the same time. Taken as a whole, Birdsong in Stereo is an interesting adventure, although I find it to be the least intrinsically enjoyable release I've heard from Dust Wind Tales so far. Be warned: W-S Burn has a fairly steep learning curve.

w-s burn's myspace

72%

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 9 tracks, distributed by the label, released April 2008]