Angelic voices and classical music are like two peas in a pod. Rock, pop, and country, on the other hand, seem a bit more interested in the broken and damaged. Rock voices usually lack the purity of the biblical cherubs. There’s something about a perfect vocal that’s just the antithesis of rock.
Now I didn’t put Lisa Hannigan’s record into my car stereo expecting a rollicking rock record or an alt-country masterpiece, but I didn’t expect what I got either. Hannigan’s voice was a beautiful compliment to Damien Rice. With the lush arrangements on his O, her voice seemed like another instrument in the orchestra.
But that’s the problem. Her voice is often so calculated that you forget that she’s singing. Naming a song “Splishy Splashy†suggests a lighthearted song but obscure lyrics make little sense: “Have your coffee, splishy splashy frozen up the stairs. Hollow but so normal when she needs a piece of care.†The lyrics sound like bad poetry and the melody is confusing as well. The tune comes off as a vocal exercise.
Often, the phrasing comes off as jazzy and out of place. Hannigan’s rather irresistible voice can’t mask the pedestrian songcraft. The prominent upright bass and lush strings often overwhelm any lyrical meaning: “what you at my gentle spoken friend I lack a frame to put you in when you’re an ocean and a rock away.†Hannigan may as well just hum or speak in a different language for all I care.
The record’s single, “Lille,†is certainly a major exception to the rule. It’s one song on the record that truly has both narrative and melodic meaning. It’s simple guitar picking serves the song and amplifies its power. It slowly builds and resists any overdramatized string arrangements. Instead, Hannigan accentuates the track with subtle bells. The official video (see below) shows a truly amazing view of the song’s meaning through a pop-up book. And luckily, the track doesn’t fall into a minute long vocal jam at the end.
While “Lille†is beautiful, the other tracks lack much accessibility. The vocals are beautiful but the songs are forgettable. Perhaps her relationship with Rice was over, but Hannigan seems to truly blossom with a collaborator. Her voice sounds like a vocalist or a jazz singer who’s ventured too far from home.
Lisa Hannigan – Lille from ATO Records on Vimeo.
About the author: Jeff is a teacher in the Boston area. When not buried correcting papers, Jeff can be found plucking various stringed instruments and listening to all types of americana music.