Snow & Voices
(Elastic Ruby)
Working as a keyboardist for Aimee Mann and Fiona Apple, Jebin Bruni must have sensed a kindred spirit in singer Lauri Kranz’s spacey, introspectively fragile voice. Thus, Snow & Voices was born in L.A. and a 2004 album was released. Now, with the two writing (almost) all the songs and Bruni and Darrell Thorp sharing production duties, comes a follow-up.
On first listen, the record exudes a waftingly sweet, keyboard-tinged and drum-programmed melancholy that seems exactly what the duo wants with its shades of Beth Orton, Lamb and Portishead. But it’s too sweet; songs like “Hearts Were Meant to Be Broken” and “Water” on repeated hearing are all prettiness with no bite. And overall, the record sounds too New Agey, especially Bruni’s keyboards. “Rainstorm” makes the most impact; it’s spare in both production and lyrical imagery. Inexplicably, the album includes a trance cover of the Doors’ “Touch Me,” a song best put to eternal rest anyway. It makes one wonder if Snow & Voices has a real aesthetic or is just looking for a niche sound.
Standout Tracks: “Rainstorm,” “A Little Strange” STEVEN ROSEN
