Nowottny, Marianne / Illusions of the Sun
Album: Illusions of the Sun   Collection:General
Artist:Nowottny, Marianne   Added:Feb 2003
Label:Camera Obscura Records  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2003-04-21 Pull Date: 2003-06-23
Week Ending: Jun 22
Airplays: 1

Recent Airplay
1. Jun 19, 2003: Interim Sneak Attack Takeover
Sweet and Low

Album Review
Gabe
Reviewed 2003-04-09
Autodidact Ms. Nowottny accompanies her often painfully mannered vocals and sometimes interesting but often silly lyrics (The blurb inside spins this as "melodies that swoop and dip like butterflies to underscore her enigmatic reflections".) on mournfully wheezing harmonium and a bit of piano. If you consider just the surface elements - vocals all over the scale and harmonium - you might even think of Indian vocal music. Perhaps that's her aim but the effect is often grating, not revealing or uplifting. Another touchpoint may be Nico's solo work, especially on track 7, where Nowottny sticks to guttural, drony vocals with only occasional flights up the scales. I complement her attempts to create such naïve art and her mastery of the harmonium but can't endorse her vocal execution. Need I point out that the cover art is also by Nowottny or could you have guessed from looking at it and reading my description of the music?

Tracks 2, 4, or 7 are bearable.

Track Listing
1. Illusions of the Sun   4. Mustard Seed
2. Bourbon Prince   5. Grey City
3. Rainy Days and Vinyl   6. Figment
  7. Sweet and Low