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Edie Sedgwick:
Her Love Is Real... But She Is Not
Do conceptual themes ever get a bit out of control in the world of music? Of course they do. The Whos Tommy is a fine example. Green Days American Idiot is up for debate, I suppose, but many prolific artists will die regretting that they didnt think of the idea for 69 Love Songs before Stephin Merritt. So, somewhere in that spectrum lies Edie Sedgwicks debut release Her Love is RealBut She is Not. First concept: imagine an electronic glam/drag side project by Justin Moyer who used to be in Dischord bands like El Guapo and Antelope. Are you still with me? Donning the name of an old 60s high-life casualty, Edie Sedgwick then hits you with a second conceptevery song title here is a Hollwood actor or actress. Lucy Liu, Tom Hanks, Arnold Schwarzenegger I, and Arnold Schwarzenegger II. So I was expecting something like Wesley Willis here, but despite all the Hollywood titles, the actors and actresses names are not heard in the songs, which makes things a little less clichd at least. It does make it hard to figure out which star Edie is singing about though. The only song thats easy for me to match is Robert Downey, Jr., which has the relevant refrain Relapse, Recovery, Relapse, Recovery. However, what Molly Ringwald has to do with genocide, Im still trying to figure out, for example. The problem with concepts in music is that they inevitably distract attention from the actual music. For instance, Im in my fourth paragraph of reviewing this album, and I still havent even said two words about the music. Well, the music is actually pretty good laptop synth, or whatever the hell you want to call the shit thats making the 80s today seem more and more like another classic decade of the guitar. I like it. The synths are disorienting, and the beats are simple but passable. The vocals are just so crazy and the lyrics so bizarre that it doesnt really feel like the LP reaches its potential, at least from a synth-pop perspective. It is a different use of the music though that fact is undeniable. So. What? Well. Ive heard the album six times now, and I like it despite the fact that it is fairly tough for the whole album to sink into my consciousness. The music is growing on me, but its going to take a lot of work to dissect all the irony and skewed obscure references that litter Her Love is RealBut She is Not. If youre ambitious, and you like sort of avant-garde synth projects, Edie Sedgwick is probably up your alley. If youre angry that Erasures new synth-pop album Nightbird is too experimental, Edie Sedgwick may not be for you. As for me, I sort of equate it back to The Who. I mean Pinball Wizard could have been a timeless club rock and dance anthem, but something about blind kids playing pinball with supple wrists doesnt scream instant party to me, ya know?
This album can be purchased at Amazon, Insound, and CD Universe Edie Sedgwick Official Website About LOTD Contact/Staff Advertise Home All content LEFT OFF THE DIAL 2001-2005. All rights reserved. |
