Jennifer Gentle
Valende (CD)
 And the Subpop machine rolls on. Surprisingly, my favorite item released this year by them so far is not the Iron and Wine Woman King EP, but the unknown Italian quirkfest known as Jennifer Gentle. A strange name for this band since they are neither female nor generally gentle at all. But they're successful nonetheless at melding a bunch of different styles and instruments together in this 10 song jumble of an album entitled Valende.
The opening track, "Universal Daughter", sounds like what you'd get if you mixed early Pink Floyd circa Piper at the Gates of Dawn with The Apples in Stereo. "I Do Drem You" has a really driving 60s type beat a la the Kinks with overdriven handclaps, fast snare, and twee-ish voices throughout the mix. Along with a nicely nostalgic feeling, Jennifer Gentle features really wiggy use of kazoo, bells, and other unrecognizable instruments like chains and clocks throughout their songs. "Tiny Holes" is a lazy little Elephant 6 waltz that was tasty and quite filling.
The big curveball comes with the beautiful "Circles of Sorrow" which is drenched in reverb and relies on nice finger picked acoustic guitar. Tthis sounds more pastoral than indie twee, like Azure Ray mixed with Nick Drake. Some parts of it are almost Celtic or Indian in feel. Marco Fasolo sings in this extremely high but tender falsetto that reminded me exactly of Jhohn from Elliott The Letter Ostrich (yeah, time to name drop ... as if you know who I'm talking about). This 6 minute track alone sealed the deal for me, though the folky "The Garden (Part One)" and "The Garden (Part Two)" are equally lilting and whimsical. But I think it may have been a mistake to put the wordless Glenn Branca-esque pots 'n pans mishmash called "Hessesopoa" right in the middle of them. Heck, they might have left it off altogether. It's a track-troll you'll be sure to want to autoprogram out in your Itunes (much like I always kill that last 20 minute "song" on the Polyphonic Spree album.) While sort of interesting when juxtaposed against the tender folk ballads, the track definitely puts the "oy!" in annoying when you're trying to listen to the disc as a whole.
It's also interesting that the first tracks are definitely more uptempo than the rest. I know it's wise to "sell" your audience on your first two tracks, but I don't know if that logic needs to apply when your band works so well with many other styles and tempos. Let the tracks fall where they will. Speaking of falling, I nearly fell out of my chair with the closing track "Nothing Makes Sense" in which Alvin and the Chipmunks fight a space duel with Dr. Demento. If that description doesn't get your attention, nothing will.
- review by RABBIT (3.1.05)
Sub Pop Records
2514 Fourth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
206-441-8441
info@subpop.com
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