abysskiss

For the past few years I've made a point of listening to some Grammy Award winners, in an attempt to keep current with music. This didn't really work, because the winners in the rock categories were not always great. So this year I thought I'd listen to the critics' choices. But which list? I ended up at Pitchfork.com, which break their best lists into categories. I'm sorry, but I can't get into Drake or Cardi B or Kanye West. It just won't happen. So this year, with the help of Amazon Music, where I can listen to these albums for free, I'm going to be going through the Pitchfork Indie Rock list.

They have them in alphabetical order, so I'll take that route, too. The first one is abysskiss, by Adrianne Lenker. I know next to nothing about her--she doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. She is the lead singer of a band called Big Thief that I am also unfamiliar with.

The record isn't bad, kind of soothing, which most rock and roll is not, with just her voice and an acoustic guitar. As with the title of the album, the songs have no capital letters, which is either an homage to e.e. cummings or just an affectation.

Lenker's voice is high-pitched and girlish, and walks a narrow line between ethereal and annoying. I'm no expert, but I think she's off key occasionally.

There is no variety on the album; the songs pretty much sound the same. She doesn't write hooks, so even after about five listens I can't hum you any of them. The lyrics are simple, and by that I mean unpretentious and spare--she will never be mistaken for Bob Dylan.

Most of the songs are about birth, love, and death, which are the three things that most humans get (at least we do the first and last, and hopefully the middle). This is from a song called "womb."

"Dripping your tears
Like a precious warm spring
My heart will always find you when your heart freely sings
Mine would never bind you with a diamond or a word"

I think my favorite song is "what can you say," which has the most engaging melody and the most straightforward lyric:

"There's a star that's glowing on your eyelash
And the wet light moaning as we rehash
Oh, my darling
What can you say to remind me
How to be loved by you?"

When I haven't spent any money on a CD it compels to be more kind to an album. I wouldn't buy this, but it was okay, and wouldn't mind hearing more from her.