Clare and the Reasons - KR-51
Monday, July 2, 2012 at 1:10PM
Clare and The Reasons - Brooklyn-based chamber/pop outfit led by Clare Muldaur Manchon and violin-toting hubby Olivier have been exploring intricately arranged and adventurous art/pop since launching with their sparkling, elegantly theatrical 2007 debut Movie...the pair holed up in a Berlin apartment for eight months last year writing and arranging the songs that would become their third album // Release: KR-51 (July 10, Frogstand) // Sounds like: modern cabaret music draws on pop, classical, jazz, folk and a shot of bohemian gypsy flair while the latest production elbows in with a sharp, angular punch now and then just to keep things on edge...Clare's wistful voice, a mix of cooing, quavering seduction (think Kate Bush singing Lotte Lenya), is remains a focal point of the The Reasons' sophisticated and witty songcraft ...KR-51, they say, offers "a little more sorrow, a lot more distorted guitar, and a little more darkness of heart..."
Quote: "The more I write, the more I get excited about not writing in a journalistic way," explains Muldaur. "I'm not really too interested in singing about me every night. I think there are so many other things to sing about that people can relate to. So I really enjoy little narratives where you have characters and scenarios and kind of approach it like that." - Clare Muldaur Manchon // What we like: lead track "The Lake" offers up sweet, cool surroundings for sonic luxuriating, an ultra-personal production that's like a soft whisper delivered in the middle of a dream -- the chorus alone is worth the price of admission..."Make Them Laugh" (video below) builds from gentle, airy tones (and cool banjo lines) into a fleshed out display of odd time signatures, darting melodic vocal runs and ominous orchestration..."Bass Face" may be the band's boldest statement yet, an angular, jarring whirr of fuzz-bass gymnastics, drum splays and electronic noodling..."P.S" is a joyous clutter of a sixties-styled girl-group anthem dressed up in cool, daring euro-pop accessories...
Clare and The Reasons - "Make Them Laugh" (from KR-51)
Clare and the Reasons - "The Lake" (from KR-51) Free download
Photo: Dennis Stempher
Reader Comments (1)
Exciting news! "the movie" came out in 2007...