The album I am about to review can thanks its vocalist for the highest mark. Savitra Labensart radiates with her opera-style, obscure vocal. It is, hands down, one of the most interesting voices I have heard in this decade.
Tiger Army is a band from Berkley, California and they have been on the scene for the past twenty years. This is only their fifth album. The frontman, Nik 13, also has a peculiar vocal. Labeled as a psychobilly at the beginning of their career, they have been exploring haste and powerful combination of punk and rock. Over time, the band softened and released a critically acclaimed album in 2007 titled Music From Regions Beyond. After almost ten years of hiatus, they are returning softer than ever, which will probably leave some fans disappointed. This album is rapid only intermittently, but it is never hardcore.
Tiger Army play low key, atmospheric rock with jumbled elements made of organ, piano, violins, acoustic instruments, trumpets, saxophone and at least two more instruments which I am not familiar with. Every now and then, western-spaghetti vibe appears.
With the exception of Ad Victorian and Firefall, the opening tracks of the record, the rest of the album is truly in slower tempo. There are also tolerable portions of pop in World Without The Moon and When The Tide Comes In, but overall, it is an eclectic bunch. Not one elements stands out as the leading motif. Heyday comes with Dark And Lonely Night, the song that will seduce even those who don’t dedicate their time listening to the music. It comprises everything – romantic instruments, abundance of emotions and extraordinary vocals. Feel free to dance with your partner while listening to it.
Most of the lyrics are opened for interpretation. They don’t have a key demographic. Horror is ubiquitous, but not in a scary manner.
Moonbeams pour into my window
And my love reflects back through
When you drift off to that world
You will find me waiting for you
In The Morning Light closes the sensual album in a glorious manner. This is what I call a ‘’perfect ten’’ album.
