Lenorable - The Prince - 2012

Picked this little disc up at the most recent incarnation of DC's "everything and the kitchen sink" art happening - Artomatic 2012 (full disclosure, VVer Eric has a show of paintings and sketches in Artomatic on the 11th floor).  Got to see the second half of this duo's set while stumbling around after a semi-chaotic "meet the artist" night.  I had been sketching portraits up at my art space for three straight hours, and after an hour or so of wandering and cheese sampling, I got to the stage area to check these guys out.  Exhausted, I fast became mesmerized by what I was experiencing and broke out the sketchbook for a little while longer.

This 7" (on clear vinyl!) has a full sound and is played at 33 1/2 speed not 45, which quickly became obvious once chipmunk vocals ensued.  The two tunes here are apparently based on Edgar Allan Poe stories ... have you ever heard that Alan Parson's Project album, Tales of Mystery and Imagination?  You might check that one out.  Hey back to the review over here! The lyrics don't make me think about lit much at all and I don't think I would have picked up on this fact at all if not for them mentioning it during the show and for the liner notes on the album sleeve.  This is not a slight on Lenorable; just a noting that this VVers literary knowledge might need some brushing up.  Maybe I should spend less time listening to records and more time reading literary classics?  Naaaaahhhh.  Lyrics here sound more to me like despondent laments of heartbreak from a very smarty arty lady.  That's three y's in  a row by the way.  "Follow me my prison lovelies, ... We will dance into tomorrow while your eyes grow gray."  Vocalist Lisa and guitarist Ian join forces to create a pulsing sonic bummer drone. Pulsing drum machine and low tone bass chords rumble menacingly underneath slightly off kilter, pop-ish moans on the b-side track "Ligeia."  The tune has a driving, march to the end of the world glory that just hits the spot.  It is already in heavy rotation on my 45 stack.  I can't help but to think of early Ladytron tunes while listening to The Prince. Lenorable is more sonically spare in their style, and I think that is to their benefit.  As much as I love Ladytron's gothic, multi-synth approach; sometimes it's just a bit too much layering.  Lenorable creates a lot of haunting echo in the spaces between and I like that I can actually distinguish the instruments from one another.  Spare should not be mistaken for plain.  Crunchy guitars, church bells, woodpecker drum loops, and multiple variant synth effects kick in at various points during this tight little death ditty.  The sound is straight ahead, powerful, and honest.