Mirah - Advisory Committee
(K)
About a week ago, I had a dream that I went to the post office and there I saw a girl playing a guitar and a boy playing a cello for the post office patrons. I listened to them play for a minute and recognized the song they were playing. I suddenly realized that the girl with the guitar was Mirah. I approached her to tell her that I really like her music, and when she found out that I write for fakejazz and that I hadn't written a review of Advisory Committee yet, she got mad and said, "I'd better see that review next month, or else!"
I refuse to let Mirah haunt my dreams any longer. So I am now writing this review of Advisory Committee, her second full-length album. It's creative and passionate all the way through, and the songs seem to have minds and personalities of their own. Mirah had help on this album from Phil Elvrum of the Microphones, and this is noticeable in many songs, since big, noisy beats reminiscent of The Glow Pt. 2 often come in suddenly or the song's tempo and style change drastically without warning.
The first song on this album, "Cold Cold Water," is one of the coolest songs I've heard for a while. It begins with strong vocals and a strummed guitar, but soon grows into a huge sound, with big drums, what sounds like a full orchestra, and percussion that sounds like a galloping pony. The song is surprising the whole way through, and has a mythical Western theme.
Other songs are not this dramatic, but each has a style of its own. The album seems disjointed at times, since some songs are acoustic and sweet, some are fully electronic, and some, like "Special Death" are in an unexpected bohemian style and played with an old-sounding violin, a saw, and an accordion. But usually the eclectic rhythms and instruments along with the unusual dynamics and intensity make Advisory Committee warm and intriguing. Mirah has a great voice and lyrics full of imagery and feeling. She is not shy about her music, but performs it with gusto.
I think I'll give Advisory Committee an 11 out of 12. I don't think I love all the songs on it enough to give it a 12. I don't know how much I am into the accordion yet. However, this album is worthy a very high score, so I would like to recommend it to you.
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