REVIEW: The Hope Blister, ...smile's ok (4AD/Mammoth)
- Chris Hill
he Hope Blister is "a sequel of sorts" to the splendid trio of This Mortal Coil albums 4AD released from 1984 to 1991. This time, however, 4AD founder and mastermind Ivo Watts-Russell has condensed TMC's rotating roster of talent into six primary players: vocalist Louise Rutkowski, bass guitarist Laurence O'Keefe, and a string quartet (cello, viola, two violins). No matter - for fans of This Mortal Coil, this is a must-buy, as the musical distance between the projects is minimal. Despite the years separating the two (seven years from Blood to the UK release of ...smile's ok), the production makes for a seamless transition.
A review of ...smile's ok has to focus on the performances within, as all eight songs are covers. Ranging from 1973's "Hanky Panky Nohow" by John Cale to 1997's "Sweet Unknown" off the Cranes' Population Four, Ivo has culled an impeccable assortment of songs and pulled off the daunting task of assembling performers equal to the reinterpretation of these likely obscure songs. I can't compare these with the originals, as I'm unfamiliar with them, yet I'm more than willing to seek them out. And perhaps that's a secondary motivation here - the impetus behind a good mix tape - "Here are my musical loves, I hope they'll be yours as well."
Therefore, first in line to greet one on ...smile's ok are the vocals. Louise, along with sister Deirdre, sang the female lead on "Tarantula", off Filigree and Shadow, my favorite song and album of the three TMC recordings. Hearing that she was helming the vocals heightened my anticipation for this cd, like reading of a pre-season trade bringing the home team last season's all-star. She doesn't disappoint. Louise shines in the spotlight, imbuing David Sylvian's "Let the Happiness In" with the raw emotional power of Peter Gabriel's "Wallflower", and giving Heidi Barry's "Only Human" a bleeding heart vulnerability that cries for protection and comfort.
Though all the lyrics share a melancholia common to the This Mortal Coil canon, the inherent downbeat is offset by the underlying strength in her voice, which buoys the lyrics gently onto a musical surface. The ebb and flow of both voice and production on Chris Knox's "Outer Skin" exemplifies this metaphor - the song rises and falls, acapella vocals backed by electronically altered backing vox, until a raft of ambient strings enters to support both.
This disc has been described by others as a "bath-and-candle" record, and I'd agree enthusiastically with that assessment. Despite the lyrics, there is a warmth that pervades the album, a sensuality which underlies both the vocals and music, and a relaxation that takes hold of the consciousness insistently. Perhaps because of the strings. The violins play at the corners of the senses, winding in and out of observation, Tinkerbells to the Peter Pan bass, which holds the plucked instrument position. Ivo deserves a commendation for relegating melody to the bass guitar (particularly on "Sweet Unknown") instead of a more traditional guitar or piano.
If you like the caressing atmosphere of this record, watch the 4AD site, http://www.4ad.com/ . Underarms, an instrumental album recorded during the ...smile's ok sessions will soon be available only by mail order. And, if inspired, hunt down the two song freebie 4AD released for ...smile's ok in early '98. The demo version of "Is Jesus Your Pal" on that promo battles the finished product for aural superiority. (The other song is the album version of "Sweet Unknown").
