Kate Maki "Two Song Wedding" (Owom records 2010)

Beguiling, dark, upsetting and moving collection

Opening with the extraordinary ‘Bloodshot and Blistered’ this album grabs from the very first bar. A slow shuffle that combines vocals from Maki and Howe Gelb creates a brooding mood redolent of Mark Linkous at his most hypnotic. A brave and sumptuous start. ‘In Comes the Light’ a joyous shuffle that cleans the palette with it lo-fi joy and quavering vocals.

‘From Below’ continues this lo fi vein whilst ‘Message Delivered’ once more dives into the swampy atmospheric depths with its bluesy lilt and sudden tempo change. This is late night stuff complete with trumpet and rocking coda.
‘Rage in a Cage’ seems lightweight in comparison with its shuffling beat and clipped vocal. Whereas ‘Carved in Sand’ has the fragility of ‘Expecting to Fly’ without the overproduction. The beautiful piano shapes and gentle bass, the yearning organ and aching cello. This is an elegy, a poem of music. Delightful.

‘Rip Out The Moon’ opens with "Cut out my tongue , rip out my eyes" delivered over a slow funeral beat and fuzzed guitar which then proceeds to morph into a Gothic Violent Femmes conclusion. There is venom and fury here.
This is real music – go buy.

Date review added:  Sunday, February 21, 2010
Reviewer:  keith lovejoy
Reviewers Rating:
Related web link:  artist's site