Tuesday, October 23
Tindersticks, "Can Our Love..." (Beggars Banquet, 2001)
Over the past ten years, Tindersticks have cemented a rabidly supportive fan base and a reputation as princes of somber, atmospheric melancholy. Their sound, perhaps best encapsulated on their self-titled second release (Universal, 1995), has always veered towards the orchestral, featuring lavish string arrangements and the impossibly smooth, passionate bass-baritone of singer Stuart Staples. Frankly, though, despite an abundance of passion, their albums often seem somewhat stilted; too clinical, too overbearing, with too operatic pomp to really work as rock records.
With "Can Our Love...", the group's first outing on Beggars Banquet, things have become decidedly looser. In fact, it seems strange that this didn't happen before: if lush strings and rich vocals suggest links to classical music, they are equally at home in the world of R&B. It seems that the 'sticks have decided to make that connection explicit, and the results are undeniable. The album retains the essential elements of their music but ensconces them in a setting that feels far more natural, reminiscent of the stirring 'seventies soul of Curtis Mayfield, Harold Melvin, and perhaps another Staples. The slyly grooving "People Keep Coming Around," with its sinuous bassline and quietly infectious chorus, stands out in particular, but the whole album, though short, is solid and evocative. 7/10
Over the past ten years, Tindersticks have cemented a rabidly supportive fan base and a reputation as princes of somber, atmospheric melancholy. Their sound, perhaps best encapsulated on their self-titled second release (Universal, 1995), has always veered towards the orchestral, featuring lavish string arrangements and the impossibly smooth, passionate bass-baritone of singer Stuart Staples. Frankly, though, despite an abundance of passion, their albums often seem somewhat stilted; too clinical, too overbearing, with too operatic pomp to really work as rock records.
With "Can Our Love...", the group's first outing on Beggars Banquet, things have become decidedly looser. In fact, it seems strange that this didn't happen before: if lush strings and rich vocals suggest links to classical music, they are equally at home in the world of R&B. It seems that the 'sticks have decided to make that connection explicit, and the results are undeniable. The album retains the essential elements of their music but ensconces them in a setting that feels far more natural, reminiscent of the stirring 'seventies soul of Curtis Mayfield, Harold Melvin, and perhaps another Staples. The slyly grooving "People Keep Coming Around," with its sinuous bassline and quietly infectious chorus, stands out in particular, but the whole album, though short, is solid and evocative. 7/10
