A universally acclaimed record, I feel enough like giving it a shot as nothing else jumped out at me this week. And while I won't be giving it such praise, hopefully I'll be descriptive enough for you to judge whether or not you'll agree.The album kicks off with a minimalist "World". It's clear that Julia is a much more competent multi-instrumentalist than she is a vocalist. She whispers and faintly sighs and remains a general bore until track two. "Maxim's I" does not include any greater vocal prowess or melodic sensibility, but the underlying instrumentation feels like a breezy carnival in a winter wonderland.
The whole of the album has an experimental air, like Laurie Anderson traded her sterile electronica and mixed her style with a more Enya-like ethereal drone. The live player accompaniment is a definite bonus to the tuneless song style Julia projects. Don't get me wrong, this is not the stuff of Tom Waits and hot jazz. But "In The Green Wild" for example, plays against a strong jazz bass background that adds a romance where Julia does not herself.
In summary, Julia does indeed build some splendid aural landscapes. But I prefer my music to be less musical score and more "song". (2.5 of 5 stars)
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