The playful cover art depicting a four-legged girl playing tennis announces the coyness of Blonde Redhead's seventh full-length album, "23," even before the first listen. The 10 tracks are more accessible than the band's last album, "Misery is a Butterfly" (2004), and their 13-plus years of experience in the music business shows. Help from some of the industry's top indie artists comes through in this polished yet wistful album.
On "23," Blonde Redhead has left behind the melancholic style of "Misery" for a fantastical, energetic mood. Kazu Makino's voice is refined and more captivating than ever. The Pace twins, Amedeo and Simone, have grown as well. Gone is the pubescent element in Amedeo's vocal styling, replaced by a more mature sound. Simone's constant drumbeat is a reassuring presence in every song.
Blonde Redhead got its start in the early '90s when Steve Shelley, the drummer of Sonic Youth, produced their self-titled debut. Their former bassist, Maki Takahashi, must be kicking himself for leaving the band after that first album, as their popularity has only been on the rise. Easy comparisons to Sonic Youth have gradually faded away as the band has gained their own style.
The album's self-produced sound is further enhanced by Chris Coady's engineering genius (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio), and Alan Moulder (My Bloody Valentine, NIN) and Rich Costy's (Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party) mixing skills. "23" is cohesive and convincing, without a single song seeming out of place.
"Spring and By Summer Fall" is one of the more upbeat tracks on the album. It's a song that would easily play in the background of a movie while the heroine drives into the rising sun. A love story of abuse and devotion, it transcends the generic: "I see only what you see/ Face who you face/ Be who you want to be." The noisy, layered guitar builds up at the end of the song, enhancing the sense of emotional intensity that one is left with when the final chord dies away.
In contrast, "My Impure Hair" is a slower, almost pleading song and proves, once again, Blonde Redhead's versatility. The twanging guitar accompanies this tale of regret and self-chastisement. Makino tries to dismiss her lover, singing prettily "Oh forget about you" but is drawn back in the end. This song is especially powerful because her pain is accessible through her vulnerability. With the last lyric, Makino emphasizes the impossibility of truly leaving a lover: "One day I lie next to you and you stroke my impure hair."
The album's lyrics focus mostly on various incarnations of love. In a high voice reminiscent of the Shins' James Mercer, Pace reminds on "SW," "It's not, it's not what you give but what you kept." His voice floats above the swelling composition of melodic guitar and keyboards. "Silently" renders love in a different key; Makino is almost ethereal on this track, and one could only dream of her singing in your direction "Silently, I wish to sail into your port, I am your sailor." A sailor with any other voice would be inadequate.
Makino and Amedeo Pace's vocals bring this album to a different level. "23" has a variety of songs, both emotional and optimistic. From the darker sound of "Publisher" to Makino's wispy, layered singing on "Silently," the album shows the band's depth and ability. Every track on this album is polished and has its own unique sound. "23" hangs together beautifully and simply. In the days of records, there would have been no issue with listening to it from start to finish, as nothing would move one to pick up the needle and skip to the next track.
Blonde Redhead recently announced their tour dates and will be playing in Boston soon. If "23" is any indication, the enchanting Makino and the Pace twins will not disappoint.
