Hope Alane
"Pink Sky Blue" CD
Grasshopper
Records
Genres: dream pop, indie pop, dream rock
July 18 - 24 2005 |
Lush, female-voiced indie pop summarizes Hope Alane's debut
album, Pink Sky Blue. This disc runs the gamut from
spacey dream-pop ("Patience," "Spinning World") to
more charged rock ("Earth's Full," "Brave") - but Alane's
lush vocals and powerful atmospherics drench the album in a certain
ethereal sound. I'm reminded of Ivy to an extent here,
but over the record's duration I puck up on a wide array of
influences, including Catherine Wheel ("Earth's Full), Jesus
and Mary Chain ("Holding Hands"), and countless
others. Aside from a winning set of melodic pop songs, Alane's disc
succeeds on account of its unconventional experimentation. Be it
the layered vocals of pretty "Pacific Grove" or the
microtonal shifts in the solo of "Brave," it's clear Hope
Alane isn't afraid to try new things out - and, for the most part,
it works. All in all, Pink Sky Blue, though occasionally
disjointed and awkward, is a very enjoyable (and unusual)
record. Give it a shot.
85%
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
9 tracks, distributed by the
label, released 2004] |