Sobriquet |
Here in the upper half of the world we haven't heard enough of Elenor Raynor. Rivetheads may know her as the live keyboard player for David Thrussell's Snog ... but she does even more interesting work on her own as Sobriquet. Her first CD-length release, July, combines the edginess and tension of her Industrial roots with a tuneful pop sensibility and thoughtful, intelligent lyrics. It isn't just a promising debut, or even the best thing to come out of Australia this year; it's a major accomplishment by an artist who deserves a worldwide audience. This is one of the most spiritual CDs I've heard in some time -- not in the wiftysparkly Newage sense, but in the lie-awake-at-night-and-wonder-why-we-are-here sense. "In the Beginning" takes the Glory Be and turns it into a rocking industrial track ("In the beginning, as it is now, as it always will be"): what was once a celebration of the Eternal Spirit becomes a hymn to the inner darkness and, ultimately, a final surrender, as she proclaims "We can't fight this... Yeah, even love dies." It's an unnerving moment. "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" receives an electronic remake and becomes the background for the Ten Commandments in "XLS," intertwined with repetitions of "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" and "Where will you run if your world stops turning?" These issues recur throughout the CD like nagging questions, met with unsettling answers. In her retelling of the Garden of Eden myth ("Eve"), Eve turns away from the apple, agreeing with Adam when he says "I believe ignorance is bliss." The final track, "Broken Angels," declares "God isn't on our side anymore." Many death metal artists are content with simple (minded) blasphemy: Elenor's approach is far more thought-provoking, and more disturbing. Her songs aren't about rejecting God... they are about unsuccessfully seeking Hir. Someone once called Leonard Cohen "a true believer who wishes he'd already found the damn Grail:" the same could be said of Elenor Rayner. Elenor's songs about love and relationships are equally nuanced and complex. "July" shows an acquaintance with heartbreak which would do Sinead O'Connor proud, while "Sarah" gives us an up-close-and-personal view of codependency ("Well she's living in danger/but I'm the one who's going out of my mind"). She knows that hate is only love that hasn't quite died yet: in "Ego" she can spit out "You sold us out for silver, sold us all for gold," yet end the song with "You're so beautiful baby." This all may sound like difficult listening, but thankfully July is tuneful as it is thoughtful. The purring vocal of "Dreams Burn Down" joins with a driving beat to produce what should be a major club hit if there is any justice in the world. The songs run the gamut from anger ("The Prophecy") to longing ("July") and finally a defiant despair ("Broken Angels")... but never slide into maudlin self-pity or self-indulgence, thanks largely to Elenor's keyboard and programming skills. This release has something for dance DJs, synth-kiddies, and the intellectual old farts like yrs. truly alike. Highly recommended. Track listing Sobriquet Website Ground Under Productions |