Album- Catching a
Tiger
Artist- Lissie
This folk artist from America is an example of music being
refreshing and really interesting, with a bluesy tone that is instantly
recognisable and a plethora of tracks that are lyrically and production wise
polished and very good. This debut album came after a couple of great
introductory E.P’s and showed that she definitely had some staying power as an
artist, with her music showing that she’s potentially catching a lion rather
than a tiger.
Track 1- Record
Collector
The opening track is clunky rhythm number that has a slight
bluesy feel to and is a nice sweet opener that is sonically intriguing and
definitely keeps you wanting to hear what the rest of the record will offer.
The plucky guitar rhythms and I made this is my kitchen like production is really
refreshing, with the slowed down section after the first chorus really offering
a great use of contrast and creating towards a powerful choral end. The lyrical
repetition really gives that sense of Lissie being artist who lets go within
her music, and this is extended in terms of the light but powerful vocal. As
far as openers go it’s definitely a gripping one.
3.5/5
Track 2- When I’m
Alone
This atmospheric, sombre toned piece finds Lissie singing
about a lover who’s never really there, but when she is alone with him she feels
like it is just her and him and that he is the one. The fast paced verses, both
lyrically and vocally, give that sense of desperation and hurt, and contrast
with the simply structured chorus, giving that tangible sense of love to the track.
The chorus is also really powerful in terms of Lissie’s vocals, allowing a
sense of truth to what she is saying to permeate the track. And with the vocals
being set against heavy drum and guitar beats that give a slightly melancholic
but ultimately simple, powerful sound to the song, this is definitely a
standout on the album.
5/5
Track 3- In Sleep
This track is a more mid tempo affair that offers a nice
change of pace, although still keeps within that love message vein. The lyrics
of the song speak of Lissie hoping to see her lover, with the only way she can
love him at the moment being within her dreams. The songs production has a
gritty feel to it, especially in terms of the grand guitar solos within the
song that give it an almost country genre vibe. This is also perhaps seen in
terms of the lyrical honesty intermingled with the love and potential for
heartbreak vocals that give a sweet layer to the track, even if it is
potentially bittersweet. This could have been just another When I’m Alone but
more boring, but the more mid tempo nature of the song gives that welcome
change of pace, and the use of the electric guitar to close out the number is
just so powerful and gives that sense of musical passion that you cant help but
love this song by the final note.
4/5
Track 4- Bully
Bully is one of those songs that I can’t decide if I really
like or if I think it is just a bit bland. The way the song builds from a
simple piano led piece to a full on production track is nice and the vocal tone
of the track is good with a nice sentimentality to it. But the song doesn’t perhaps
pack as an emotional punch as the previous tracks, and the lyrics are a little
bit too elaborate in my eyes. A one to enjoy or skip I think.
2.5/5
Track 5- Little Lovin
This track is cute mid tempo number that is light and offers
some relief from the bluesy melodrama of some of the previous tracks. With her smoky
vocal tone Lissie really gives a freshness to the song and allows for a
daydreaming type of edge to emerge within the track. The lyrics also embody
this daydream notion, with the simplicity of the chorus really having that
sense of nice, sweet love. The song is nice in terms of production with the
simple guitar rhythms and light bass notes. The only issue with the track is
that when the “way oh ah” vocals and guitar riffs kick in, the song loses that
lightness and you kind of forget why you liked the track in the first place. It
would have just perhaps been better if Lissie kept this as a short and simple
track.
3.5/5
Track 6- Stranger
This track is a little bit feisty in terms of its lyrical
quality, with Lissie giving us a kind of unfolding story in which she won’t
give her love to this stranger who she thought was alright at first but then
saw underneath her façade. With the “I am mine” line within the song she
embodies that sense of empowerment within her work, and indeed you could almost
perhaps deem this as a potential feminist track. And the vocals really give that
feisty edge as it has that I won’t be fooled quality to it. The production is
quite snappy with some cool, light beats and a good steady bass, which makes
for a nice, sing along kind of chorus track.
3.5/5
Track 7- Loosen the
Knot
With the “oh oh oh” vocal introduction and the pretty
powerful drum bass and good guitar riffs, this feels like one of the most
rockiest tracks on the record, showing us a good bit of musical diversity. And
it keeps that feisty edge in terms of Lissie lyrically talking about how she is
going to be the one to let go of the relationship she is in and just end it,
with the knot metaphor being a cool take on the power of love. The use of a
higher register within this track more so than some of the other songs gives a
powerful quality to the song, and the way that the track builds in terms of the
guitar sound really allows for a punchy end.
3.5/5
Track 8- Cuckoo
This is the most fun track on the album and in this respect
is one of the standout numbers. In terms of pretty much every aspect of the
song it has a real light and happy tone that gives a be happy and get up and
dance silly message to the song. And the track is nice lyrical in having that
unfolding love story edge, with the refrain having that powerful I am so so
happy flavour. Lissie’s vocal tone really allows for the lightness and
freshness of the track to come to the fore, with the vocal power in the final
moments of the track giving that sense of a big finish. And the production is
really great for this track as it has a great two fold guitar beat that keeps
the track at a steady pace, whilst the drums and further guitar usage really
give a reckless and fun energy.
4/5
Track 9- Everywhere I
Go
Lissie slows down things for this track I which she keeps
things really simple and has perhaps the most vulnerable moment within the
whole record. The vocal layering of her voice gives a nice quality to the track
that almost makes her sound ethereal, and this really plays well with the
lyrical sentiment of the track, which I feel is most beautifully poetic of all
the records songs. And in keeping things really simple with just nice piano and
then a subtle but powerful bass drum in the final section of the song she
allows her voice to really shine and show that she is musically diverse and a
really great artist. The adding of the bass drum and the lift into a higher key
also allows for a grand end that will sit with the listener.
4/5
Track 10- Worried
About
This bouncy, bop your head along to it number is a nice
offering that is a great change of pace and a little bit musically diverse in
that it features a little use of some cool electronic beats. But it also still
keeps with the drum and guitar driven folk sound of the record, meaning that it
doesn’t awkwardly stand out and means that the record is coherent. The vocals aren’t
as powerful here but give a nice pace to the track, and the lyrics offer an
intriguing insight into love, even though they could perhaps be a little
sharper and the track just a little bit shorter.
3/5
Track 11- Look Away
This track is a cool, atmospheric feeling track that draws a
great melding together or sombreness and happiness and creating a nice sound.
The metaphorical lyrics are intriguing and offer a kind of place yourself in
her boots message to the listener, and could almost make them think about their
relationship. The production is powerful but not overpowering with some cool,
lighter bass notes and a kind of handclapping groove. Vocally she plays to her
woeful tone well and so it’s not totally exciting but is still good. And the
way the track just plays out in the end is a nice way to finish as it gives a
sense of just chill to the song.
3.5/5
Track 12- Oh
Mississippi
The final track is a soft ballad number that shows that
Lissie knows not to stretch the record to thin and end on a good note. The
piano driven number leads into some good heavy bass and is metaphorically
intriguing, with the lamenting tone of the artist really coming through
heavily. It’s good end that is a little hard to explain and is one you just
kind of have to listen to and let it sink in.
3.5/5
Final Review
I just think Lissie is such a cool artist. Not only does she
have such a smooth but smoky vocal tone that is so distinctive, rich and
all-round awesome, she also really crafts her songs both lyrically and
sonically, and whilst there was perhaps the potential for the album to sound
terribly samey, she also plays it right in both subtly and noticeably changing
sound between records to create a great debut that shows she knows what music
she wants to make and that she is going to make it well.
7.5/10
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