Published on Apr 23, 2003
Sometimes, sometimes the CD just baffles you.
I can’t quite figure out Kat Terran. I’m currently listening to
this CD for the eighth time, and I still can’t quite get a handle
on what she’s trying to do here. I don’t think that’s a bad thing,
necessarily; it certainly proves that she is doing something unlike
anything else I’ve heard this year. Lion And Blue is easily the
most unique thing that I’ve heard this year, an experimental
melange of rhythm and melody pulling from jazz, ecto, folk,
baroque, Eastern European, and African sources. The question has to
be, however, does it work? The answer isn’t easy, though.
I suppose the best answer is “sometimes.”
Lion And Blue is hard work to listen to. This isn’t
background music, seamless and unobtrusive; the melodies and
Terran’s insistent, rich, and penetrating voice coerce you to pay
active, participatory instruction. The songs haunt you; they stay
with you for hours after you’ve listened to the CD, hovering in the
dim recesses of your memory.
With that, however, comes the downside; these songs are so
ambitious, so insistent, that sometimes they fall flat. For every
track that coalesces into something incredible (“Aspen Tree,”
“Curious Girl,” “Southeast Window”), there’s another that fails to
come together (“Caravan,” “Dolls,” “Boa Constrictor”). Terran is
obviously possessed of a fervent, powerful musical vision;
unfortunately, sometimes that vision fails to be articulate enough
to comprehend. It doesn’t help that her lyrics are often obscure to
the point of being Joycean (for example, even if “Aspen Tree” is
good — and it is — I still want to know who Maria and Natalie
are, demmit).
In terms of production and instrumentation, the CD is excellent,
especially for a small-label release. I particularly liked the
judicious use of cello and upright bass to flesh out and deepen
Lion And Blue.
I wish I could tell you for sure if you should take the time to
check out this CD. I suspect that Terran’s work is an acquired,
specialized taste; not everyone likes raw oysters or caviar,
either. Perhaps the best advice is to try it once. Who knows; you
may find something very special.