St. Vincent

St. Vincent (aka Annie Clark) has a pretty solid resume, if you ask me. Having been a member of the Polyphonic Spree, and having once served as backup to Sufjan Stevens, I had pretty high expectations for her first solo record, ‘Marry Me’.

And I’m glad to say that this album meets those expectations. Some songs are laid-back while some experimental. Yet, St. Vincent ties it all together wonderfully. It doesn’t get too experimental in an Animal Collective sense, hitting just the right mix of synth and lounge, which in effect, makes listening to her a pleasant experience.

Comparisons to Tori Amos are obvious, but I think I hear more of El Perro del Mar or even Regina Spektor in her. Her voice has a more angelic tone, I think, as opposed to an edgier one, like say, Fiona Apple or Rachel Yamagata.

In the end, I think this album will probably end up as one of my favorite albums by female artists this year.