Palms
Few bands these days make music recalling the icily lonely, German-depressive soundscapes of Nico's The Marble Index and Desertshore, probably because there just aren't that many young female singers out there who can do Nico. Nadja Korinth, the German-born - and Berlin-based - singer of the duo Palms, can capture the hoarse, ominously monotone spirit of Nico's intonations, and on songs like "Der Koenig" and "End of Term" does a nice job of conjuring up her haunted spirit. She also has a wistfully wispy, tentative high voice, effective on the rarified, arty soundscape of "New Moon" and the childlike "Agniezska."
Her partner in Palms is New York-based Ryan Schaefer, so this duo spends a lot of time working on ideas from afar without being able to share an aesthetic as much as they should. While this results in satisfying individual songs, the album doesn't really cohere as a whole, despite Nicolas Vernhes' production that always keeps vocals up front. Schaefer's Jesus and Mary Chain-like "Leather Daddies," for instance, is a long way from her material, and the sledgehammer dance beat of "Boundary Waters" is just plain awkward.
Standout Tracks: "Der Koenig," "New Moon" STEVEN ROSEN
