steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

review
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info opinion

Caroline

"Murmurs" CD

Temporary Residence Ltd

Genre: pop, indie pop, electro pop

Temporary Residence Ltd
PO Box 60097
Brooklyn, NY
11206-0097 USA

June 2006

Signed by esteemed label Temporary Residence based on a song on her Myspace profile (thanks, Rupert!), Caroline has put this album together as her second release for the imprint after the Where's My Love single from awhile ago. Murmurs is a classy collection of electronic-heavy pop music, with Caroline Lufkin's high, pretty voice at the centre of it all. Predictably, "Where's My Love" is at the peak of it all, quality-speaking - though this record also introduces a number of other adorable and catchy pop songs ripe for the picking. "Bicycle" is a strong pop song with a magical feel and some nice horns thrown in. "Winter" is also very nice, boasting a dreamy, sweet atmosphere. The main problem here is that Caroline's syrupy style can get a tad tiresome over multiple listens of this nine song disc - her voice is nice, and these tracks are catchy, but they can become a tad tedious over a long period of time. Comparisons to Bjork are gonna come, but the main difference is that Caroline lacks the immediate structural and vocal originality of the Icelandic legend. Still, as far as pop albums go, it's hard to deny Murmurs credit for being particularly solid. Not your average Temporary Residence release, but a welcome break from the norm.

MP3 (from temporaryresidence.com): Where's My Love

85%

Fun Fact: Caroline's older sister Olivia is a J-pop star in Japan (the family's home country).

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 9 tracks, distributed by the label, released 2006]