Tracey Thorn - Love and Its Opposite
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 12:42PM 
Possessing one of the most distinctively sensitive (and sensual) female voices, Tracey Thorn and her Everything But the Girl partner Ben Watt redefined the limits of intimate and intelligent alt-pop in the 80's and 90's. After a self-imposed leave of absence from recording and performing beginning in 2000 to raise a family, Thorn made a welcome return in 2007 with Out of the Woods, an album The Guardian described as "a spellbinding mix of shimmering folk and shimmying disco." Once again working with Woods producer Ewan Pearson, Thorn is back with Love and It's Opposite (May 18, Merge), an album that leaves behind the dancefloor beats for a more personal, starkly direct set of ten observational songs.
"It is a record about the person I am now and the people around me,” says Thorn, "About real life after forty." With eight self-penned tracks tackling marriage ("Long White Dress") and divorce ("Oh The Divorces"), being on your own ("Singles Bar") and what Thorn refers to as "the hope for love's survival" ("Swimming"), Love and Its Opposite also offers up a pair of well-chosen covers, including "Come On Home To Me" by the late, great Lee Hazelwood (and featuring a duet with Jens Lekman). Grown up and downtempo, Thorn's way with bittersweet chamberpop is a thing of wonder. Highly recommended.
Tracy Thorn - "Oh The Divorces" (from the album Love and It's Opposite)
Reader Comments (1)
Can't wait for this release! Tracey has such a gorgeous voice.