Album reviews
Photo courtesy selinamartin.com
Selina Martin
Disaster Fantasies, Currently Unsigned
B-
THE COVER ART for this album does it no favours—a simple line sketch of a girl with stormy eyes doesn’t properly capture the mood of Selina Martin’s spunky, eccentric rock sound. Throughout Disaster Fantasies, Martin's staccato voice shifts from high-pitched tones to lower, slower melodies. Using a slightly random and scattered-sounding approach, she changes her tempos constantly throughout her songs. This is especially noticeable in “No Form”, which stays true to its name in structure. Her songs are surprisingly upbeat for their subject matter—melodies from songs such as “Rape During Wartime” make lyrics like “I’m going after some fun/with my loaded gun” sound like something she's looking forward to. Although angsty, Martin keeps Disaster Fantasies quippy and happy, creating an interesting collection of medleys worthy of a listen.
—Charlotte Bailey
The Beauties
The Beauties, Six Shooter Records
B+
THIS DEBUT, SELF-TITLED album from Toronto-based band the Beauties has a contemporary, dark rock sound. Switching constantly from fast-paced to slower tempos, the Beauties create a mix of slow, sobering refrains from uplifiting melodies. This begs the question: is it better to listen to the Beauties when in need of cheering up, or would a good mood be shattered by lyrics like “There ain’t nobody gonna love me like the devil do”? While their upbeat music energizes, their lamenting lyrics and slower songs have a mellowing effect—somehow, the Beauties have captured both the feelings of invigoration and depression in one very cohesive album. Their music expresses an honest look at the world around them, completely and unapologetically void of optimism. With a combination of country, rock and a bit of cynicism, the Beauties have produced an impressive and introspective first album.
—Charlotte Bailey
