REVIEW: ST VINCENT AT BRISTOL FLEECE (11/11/11)
St Vincent aka Annie Erin Clark is a revelation. Startlingly beautiful and evocatively sounding, she arguably makes avant-garde music for the masses that remains sadly appreciated by only the few.
Her third critically acclaimed album ‘Strange Mercy’ has been doing the collective rounds on the playlists of those ‘in the know’ and she finally brings her latest collection of songs to a very rainy Bristol on a very superstitious day, it being 11.11.11 and all.
Having spawned from the myriad collective of the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Steven’s touring band, St Vincent has seemingly done her time. Two previous albums, both acclaimed but neither particularly successful now give way to what may be prove to be her masterpiece. Having already opened for such acts as Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear and Death Cab For Cutie it’s seem it may finally be Annie’s time to take center stage.
Strange Mercy was recorded in Seattle, and it has been said that the record was a catharsis for its creator, an experimentation in loneliness and an escape from the technological bombast of her native Manhattan. The record however in some contrast to this supposed gloomy isolationism is in fact a diverse and rich collection of songs, employing a vast array of instrumentation, sounds and influences all cunningly held together by that unique voice and even steadier hand.
Surgeon begins proceedings and it apparent from the start that St Vincent is a truly intense performer; there are sound issues, headphone tugging, furious glances and a little hissy fit at the sound guy who bounces round the stage looking slightly terrified. She is clearly lost in the moment. It doesn’t however stop the beautiful enunciated refrain ‘I spent the summer on my back’ from echoing around the Fleece.
It is true to say that St Vincent is perhaps a little off kilter; a little strange, left of leftfield even. Every song begins in a relative straightforward manner and then there is a moment, a dirty scuzzy guitar, a brass note or an unexpected vocal layer, everything is a tad messy, a bit off axis. The conventional becomes unconventional, the uniform broken. And it is here where her charm really lies.
We are treated to a wonderfully demonstrative cover of the Pop Group’s She is beyond good and evil complete with the odd expletive and more tangible emotion then a lovesick school girl on her third Twilight novel. Its all noise and rage and wonderfully encapsulates what St Vincent is all about.
The encore recalls one of her first songs ‘Your Lips Are Red’ and again furious kinetic guitar work and other worldly wailing gives way to some crowd interaction with said guitar and a breathless leap into the masses. Back on stage seconds later and she is gone in a minute. Annie Erin Clark remains an enigma. That is to say she is not merely enigmatic but strangely familiar all at the same time, a paradox then, perhaps. In any case a treat for anyone lucky enough to witness it.
Words, photo and video: Yatin Amin
