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Monthly Feature. |
         
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Several years back, songsiren Elizabeth Harper stepped off a bus from Los Angeles; her sound couldn’t be further from the West Coast, so the relocation to NYC is understandable. The East Coast and UK are her live stomping grounds and her unapologetic love of Morrissey, Mazzy Star and Elliott Smith fits right in. As winter prepares to strike its first blow over New York City, Harper's music presents itself as the perfect soundtrack for brainy, single urbanites looking for a flirt with disaster.
Harper started out as an actor, and her flare for the dramatic is always on display. No matter what sort of heartbreak falls into the lap of her characters, it's apparent that they love every minute of it. "But sadly I adore him / for more than just the obvious employment" is just one of the cry'n'wink lines to be found in Harper's material. These hopelessly blue romantics have real pain, but they retain a firm sense of control over their situations. Any open wounds have been lovingly bandaged by the time the band gets to post-production. This approach results in compelling songs that are never overbearing and can resonate with young urban singles who dive into trouble for the thrill of it. Rosenthal has been producing Harper’s projects all along, creating soundscapes that are always professional, but with raw edges that indie rockers have grown up loving. The eponymous 2004 debut was a ten-song gem. Each track featured a healthy dose of reverb and an army of sighing electric guitars surrounding what were essentially acoustic guitar compositions. Her current demo, The Convent of the Immaculate Heart, features decadent packaging -- black lace, black CD, song titles hand-painted on opaque paper -- that would suggest five songs in the same sonic vain. While hints of the old sound can still be heard on these tracks, there is a heavy dose of loop experimentation, synths, organs and computerized beats that were merely afterthoughts on older songs like "Clean Cut." Whether or not Harper's next full length record will further this change of direction remains to be seen; as it stands to these ears, The Convent of the Immaculate Heart is even more intriguing and consistent than the debut. The highlight of the disc is "Let Me Take You Out," a potential single that bookends this project in the form of two radically different mixes. Fueled by a pulsing bass line and a winning vocal melody, it's the perfect bedroom stereo track for a woman dressing up to kill at 10:15 on a Saturday night. As long as there are women who love a bit of drama and men who like to date them, there will be a market for Harper's lovely songs. |
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