Recommended by Bex:
Translation of a Belgian review in
Humo:
Alison Goldfrapp doesn't allow anyone to tell her what to do. Goldfrapp in itself is a bizarre triumph, but with their sixth album they achieve an unprecedented performance.
As follow up on album number four,
Seventh Tree (my favourite so far) they now cast away all nylon, neon, plastic and synths on
Tales of Us. What remains are ten moving songs, of which almost all have a woman's name as title, and which were inspired by a novel or movie character.
It seems like Alison Goldfrapp has thrown away all her shyness together with her glitter cape; never before was her voice - stripped of all effects - able to effect an almost physical reaction. That finale of 'Annabel' does it every time: sadness as a force of nature.
Liquid love is decanted in 'Jo', 'Drew', 'Alvar', 'Ulla' and especially the final song 'Clay', a song that Alison wrote after reading a letter from a soldier who had been in love with a companion / lover.
The album cuts deep, and then there's the short film project that Alison made, along with her companion Lisa Gunning. If that little boy in the video for 'Annabel' receives that dress as a gift: always tears.
