Recommended by us on 5th March 2009
...according to our Phil on Thu 05 Mar, 2009.
Anni Rossi is one of 4AD's new signings and her new album Rockwell has landed (CD only at the mo with vinyl to follow later... For a change!). From the off I thought this was smart. It largely consists of her vocals, drums, cello and viola so you'd think it would be pretty sparse sounding. But it's not.... Well it wouldn't be with Steve Albini at the helm filling the sound and it straddles that balance of sounding full while giving the instruments space to breathe. If you want to know what you're letting yourself in for then it's somewhere between Suzanne Vega, Joanna Newsom and Regina Spektor. It's really quite good. In fact I think it's really very good indeed. The more I hear it the more I'm charmed by her beautiful voice, the quality songwiriting and the instrumentation. Then there's the production... The whole thing wraps up into a well smart package and if you're a fan of quirky (but serious) women making some well interesting music then let us know and we'll wing a copy out to you. Woohoo!! Roll on the vinyl coming!!New for 2009, 4AD are releasing ‘Rockwell’, the debut album
from their new signing, the extremely talented Anni Rossi.
· From Minnesota via Los Angeles and now based in Chicago, twenty-three
year old Anni Rossi is an exciting prospect. Having been classically trained
since aged three, Anni is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and
has been performing as a solo artist for the past few years.
· Fresh from signing to the label, Anni headed straight to Electrical Audio in
Illinois to record ‘Rockwell’ with Steve Albini and the results show it to
have been a wise move. Mostly using tracks from her existing live set, the
energy, depth and eccentricities of her live show have all been
successfully translated onto record, making the document she set out
to make – something she feels she has never achieved previously.
· Until now, the viola has formed the centrepiece to her music, often finding
itself to be the only instrument used, but more come to the fore here. In
particular, drums and cello slightly elevate her sound, appearing
occasionally to fill in corners. The fact it was all recorded in one day will
surprise most but so will the unlikely cover version of Ace Of Base’s
‘Living In Danger’, a version so sublime you wouldn’t know what it was
unless told.
· Anni has already extensively toured both Europe and the US (including
support slots with The Ting Tings and Electrelane as well as being a
member of Carla Bozulich’s band) and has gained herself both a great
reputation and hardcore fanbase. She’ll be back on the road in 2009 in
support of her debut album so expect to see new dates announced soon.
Machine * Ecology *Las Vegas * The West Coast *
Deer Hunting Camp 17 * Living In Danger * Venice *
Glaciers * Wheelpusher * Air Is Nothing
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