Dramatic, hypnotic, piano-based rock. Mostly instrumental and devoid of melody--which shines a spotlight on the occasional (mostly female) vocals and splashes of melody. A bold musical statement by Verity Susman & Co., along with Steve Albini on production, that traverses miles of dynamics while remaining fixed from start to finish on a particular emotional constellation. Extremely uplifting. This is nearly a rock opera, or a single 13-part piece, in its unwavering thematic unity. 3rd LP by this all-female British band. A standout release for 2005. FCC clean. Start with 3, 8, 10, 13.

1. Short instrumental overture. Starts quiet & spooky with feedback guitar... then frenetic and fast... then quiet again. Maintains tension. Goes into next track, and meant to be played with it.
2. Continues from previous track, but can be played alone. One of the few songs here with melody and vocals. Happy, piano-based, krautrock song. Continuous build of intensity. Gets quiet for denouement and fade.
==> 3. Another actual song, with vocals. Angst & anger & acceptance & catharsis. Starts quietly with sparse, solo electric guitar. Instruments join one by one. No drums till 1:20 into track. Fades with organ and then 15 secs of repeated bass note.
4. Piano-based instrumental -- swaying & gentle -- although it gains speed & intensity half way through and even gets a bit bombastic. Starts with drums, then quiet guitar. Ends with guitar feedback fade and then mute.
5. Starts with accordion and euro-folk rhythm. Moves into dark, hypnotic, busy instrumental with strings, accordion, squeaky guitar, and fast freight-train drumming. Then slows way down... to false stop... picks up with solo piano. Again becomes frenetic. Ends with dreamy accordion strains... fades into next song and meant to be played with it.
6. Train-based instrumental. Starts with train-whistle ambience and distant conversation. Features saxophone playing off the train whistle. More train fx. Band fades as train does. Ends with a min. of improv. Fades into next song and can be played with it.
7. Driving, guitar-based krautrock instrumental. Starts with anticipatory guitar and drums. Builds in density and intensity. Ends suddenly.
==> 8. Experimental, sparse, staccato instrumental. Nicely unnerving. Guitar, piano, violin, drums. With a minute left, picks up a rhythm and goes with it... or does it? Ends weird.
9. Guitar-based instrumental (although includes some barely-audible choral vocalizations). Another slow build from quiet and sparse to driving and frenetic. Especially hypnotic. Starts with single-note, staccato guitar. Ends very suddenly... because it’s meant to continue into the next track.
==> 10. Continues from (and sounds great when played with) previous track. A real song with vocals, although they’re mixed quite low. Epic, intense dark rock. Starts very suddenly. Gets bombastic and ends suddenly but has cymbal fade.
11. Sparse and strange. Starts with banjo, played oddly. Is that a melodica that joins it? And later synth horns and oboe? Very interesting. Strange male choral vocals. Ends with 10 secs of metronome-like tapping.
12. Seven seconds of skronk.
==> 13. Epic Electrelane krautrock (9 mins worth) -- the full realization of the album’s themes. Starts with very quiet guitar... other instruments come in one by one... Piano after a minute. Dynamic, has male and female choral vocals, and, well, just beautiful. Slow fade and then 5 secs of silence.