Over the course of the past 6 decades, music has successfully documented the examination and critical breakdown of the psyche of the average person, whether it dealt with the emotional or the physical. With music being so personally subjective, it seems the perfect vehicle for this kind of extended, indepth charcater assessment. Let me add one caveate though--the majority of these songs seem to deal with the makeup of the male mind, whereas the female mind has been given secondrate treatment in regard to its own examination. Not that there hasn't been some songs dealing with the complex segmentation of fears, hopes, and basic emotional responses in relation to women, but they seem to be superficial at the best of times, with some exceptions of course. The banshee wail of Janis Joplin and the chaotic, bordering-on-damaged vocals of pre-Jefferson Starship Grace Slick are some of these exceptions to the rule. They did successfuly share the anger and defiance in equal measure that exists in the female mind. And rarely had it been so devestatingly displayed. But recently there has been a dirth of artists, female or not, that have delved deeply and seriously into the layered aspects of the female psyche.
Then in 2007, St. Vincent--nee Annie Clark--released Marry Me and all that changed. By marrying the intensely personal lyrical designs of her influences, including those we've already mentioned, along with the technically massive guitar squall of recent guitarists like Marnie Stern and Carrie Brownstein, Clark managed to add her own personal touch to these already distinctive touchstones of indie rock. In 2009, her next album Actor showcased a newfound confidence and willingness to experiment within her own musical world. And while this resulted in some songs feeling a bit overstuffed, the risks were worth taking and allowed her the freedom to approach her next album without rules or self-guided expectations.
On Strange Mercy, her efforts come to fruition as she delves ever deeper into her own complicated feelings. The songs hit harder and ring emotionally sharper than anything she has released previously. She has always had a razors edge humor about her place in the world but now she extends that caustic wit to include the listener as well. We follow her as she digs deeper into her own subconscious and the collective subconscious of women in general. With songs like "Surgeon", with its morbid connection between relationships and medical imagery, and "Northern Lights", which documents the hesitancy inherent in a questionable relationship, Clark carefully dissects her contrary feelings toward the emotional connections which are the lifeblood of any person. She comes away with as many uncertainties as confirmations but she accepts that this is the way that relationships work, that we won't always have all the answers but manage anyhow. That emotional purges come uncalled but need to resolved nonetheless. The process by which we cope with, and further our own understanding of, each other lay at the heart of Strange Mercy, a comforting and also disquieting confirmation of all the things we hope for and fear concerning the personal relationships we struggle with each day. And while she may not be able to answer all our questions, Clark allows us an unfettered view of the world through her own distinct personality, and through this understanding, she hopes we may be better able to know her and what it's like to live in her head.
Tracklisting:
01. Chloe in the Afternoon
02. Cruel
03. Cheerleader
04. Surgeon (listen to the mp3 below)
05. Northern Lights
06. Strange Mercy
07. Neutered Fruit
08. Champagne Year
09. Dilettante
10. Hysterical Strength
11. Year of the Tiger
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