Glass Rock
glass rock - Tall Firs Meet Soft Location
Ecstatic Peace regulars Tall Firs join forces with Soft Location, who were introduced to one another by that other longstanding EP act, Awesome Color. Spearheading this record is the sultry vocal presence of Kathy Leisen, whose singing somehow conjures references to both Chan Marshall and Neko Case whilst not sounding especially like either. There is a certain authoritative presence to Leisen's vocal, whose delivery is crowned with a tangible atmospheric resonance on these recordings, cradled in a delicate web of clean guitar tones and expertly poised drumming. There's an air of restrained yet ultimately very solid musicianship throughout the record that's reminiscent of the sonic backdrops heard on Cat Power's Jukebox album. 'Possession' is especially powerful with its thread-like guitar lines and pent-up tom hits, creating the most subtle of contexts for Leisen to take command and flourish.
