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Review
First, there was the news that she was working with David Sitek, mad scientist behind TV on the Radio and go-to studio guy for seemingly every forward-thinking band in New York City. Next, none other than Kanye West set tongues wagging when he leaked Slow Burn Treason, a woozy, slow-motion synth lament featuring a cameo from TV’s Kyp Malone, to his personal blog.
If Holly Miranda is blowing up, though, she’s destined to do it in a quiet way. For all the excitement surrounding The Magician’s Private Library, it’s a largely low-key record, one that melds Sitek’s familiar studio trickery with a drifting, ethereal atmosphere as reminiscent of Mazzy Star or the Cocteau Twins as anything Sitek has put his name to before. Sound is deployed layer by layer, Miranda’s tender, soulful voice floating across an intricate backdrop of icy synth, digi-percussion, heavily treated guitar and occasional sunny horns, courtesy of Stuart Bogie and Eric Biando of New York’s Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra.
Such is Sitek’s influence on the record that it takes you a little while to get to know the real Miranda. While initial listens find her songs somewhat opaque, they gradually open up to reveal their emotional depths. “This needless pain that stains your face / It doesn't need to be,” she pleads, on the fraught Waves, while No One Just Is is deliciously wicked, lyrics spat darkly over winding, exotic strings.
And it’s not all gloom and doom: an album highlight comes with the bright horns of Sweet Dreams, while Sleep on Fire closes the album on a sunny note, a lightly countrified canter flecked with proggy guitar flourishes and, you may notice, not a David Sitek production trick in sight. --Louis Pattison
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Customer Reviews
Well, as you might expect, the album rather disappointed on a first play. I don't think there is much out there, if anything, that could live up to that statement. Second play in and the album started to catch, it is now a real favourite and one of the few from the last couple of years that I play daily(and sometimes more often!).
Many of the songs start quietly with sort of catchy Scandinavian pop sensibility but then build through complex layers of instrumentation and vocalising the melodic themes equally rich and complex as the songs progress. It is the strength of those melodic themes that really lift this album above the norm. The other thing is it really does work as an Album not just a collection of songs.
What does it sound like? I must admit I am at a loss to describe it. Others have suggested Mazzy Star and Cocteau Twins, although she does't sound much like those to me, while I discerned reminders of Prince, Arcade Fire, Chrissy Hynde/Sinead O'Connor(voice, a bit)and even Pink Floyd. All I'll say is if that sounds interesting this may well be for you.
This is a real 'grower' of an album so I suggest you give it some playing time before making up your mind, if you do, I think you'll find this a real winner.
'The Magician's Private Library' might have been
without the sonic management provided by TV On The
Radio's Dave Sitek behind the studio console.
Stripped of the rich tapestry of sound he weaves
around her I am doubtful whether the songs or the
voice would be able to stand up by themselves.
I am not convinced of Ms Miranda's ability to hold
a tune (I hear your arguments already : Nico,
Diamanda Galas, Siouxsie Sioux among many other
estimable female artists whose voices challenge as
much as they thrill) and the tunes she has brought
into being are both insubstantial and unconvincing.
The dominant ambience of the album is listlessly
nocturnal. (Nite Jewel's recent album 'Good Evening'
is an uncomfortably close cousin). Intrinsically
there's nothing wrong with that of course; it is
entirely right that there should be room in the world
for a little gentleness in music of all kinds.
After a while, however, 'The Magician's Private Library'
began to make me feel quite queasy. This had everything
to do with the hollow dynamic and tonal 'slippage' of
Ms Miranda's vocal delivery.
It really isn't a pleasant experience at all.
Truth-be-told there is not one track that is very much
better or distinctive than any other. 'Joints' is
about as good as it gets but Mr Sitek's dense arrangement,
economically augmented by some splendid brass playing
and chainsaw guitar, is utterly subverted by Ms Miranda's
discordantly tepid twitterings.
Doubtless many of you will be more persuaded by her talent
that I have been able to be. Perhaps I just missed the point.
At Your Own Risk.
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