Merenia Gillies - Libertine (Album)
I had an epiphanous moment the other night while listening to the latest episode of the peerless All Songs Considered podcast from NPR (National Public Radio) that was celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Beatles’ White Album. An album of such unrivalled genius that each of the tracks on the sprawling release have become touchstones of popular music.
When the discussion turned to the ballad Dear Prudence I didn’t give it much thought because this track like most Beatles songs are heard so many times you become desensitized to them. However, this time, listening to the seamless segue from Born in the U.S.S.R into Dear Prudence and then the song itself I literally sat there stunned. I heard it on a whole new level- the masterful atmospherics, the understated guitar, the subtle harmonies. It was as if I had never heard it before, and it just washed over me. It was a beautiful moment and made me glad to be alive. How mortals write this stuff is beyond me.
But there in lies the problem. Such unparalleled genius was conceived so early in the development of popular music as we know it today, that it has cast an inevitable umbra over music ever since. This leads to the philosophical question, why bother at all anymore? The bar has been set so high Sergei Bubka couldn’t get over it. Listening to the gold standard next to something else leads to inevitable comparisons, it is unavoidable. Unfortunately for me, and I suppose Merenia Gillies, I had this epiphany as I was attempting to review her album Libertine, a task which I have to say has not been easy. I have tried to write this review about 15 times but each time, donuts. It is as if this album of semi-tawdry hip-hop divaing has created some sort of vacuum of creativity and expression in my mind. It is a hodge-podge of an album that goes from bizarre self-aggrandising hip-slop (e.g. track 5- Hell Hath no Fury and Blac time) to lounge bar crooning (e.g track 4- Turn it up), as if she is a schizophrenic MOR M.I.A. One minute you think you have an idea of the sound she is going for then the style and delivery changes completely.
Well, the White Album was like that you say? Well, yes. But this is no white album. This is a beige album. The one track in which this album transcends from a miasma of dullitude is the stunning You said you would. In fact, this track is so clearly superior to the rest of the album that you wonder how it even made it on. Here, Merenia’s voice plays centre stage of a simple backing, and some beautifully constructed harmonies. An album of songs of this quality and you’d be onto a winner.
1 purple velvet diva-gown out of 5.
