What you say
No-one has reviewed Hello Voyager by Evangelista yet.
What we say
 This record left our Phil feeling happy.
Carla Bozulich is one of those performers I'd like to class as an angry woman. Anyone remember those 're/search' books from ages ago? It had Lydia Lunch in and other such types talking about violence, death and menstruating... you know... a light hearted holiday read. Well if that book was being written now Carla would be in it I'm pretty sure. Here she is in her new pop band called Evangelista. 'Hello, Voyager' is the name of the album and a right old noisy racket it is. I find it easier to listen to than some of her earlier stuff. The 2nd track on the album is great... think Death Valley 69 by Sonic Touth with Lydia Lunch... It's loud and dirty sounding.... it kicks ass. Some of other tracks are like a scuzzier PJ Harvey ala 'Rid Of Me'. Though the majority of the album makes me think of a really noisy angry even more mental Kristin Hersh. It's great anyway... surprisingly tuneful and worth any perseverance. There's some gorgrous string arrangements on here as well. Rinsin'
What the label says:
We can call this a debut record of sorts, as it is the first album to
be released under Carla Bozulich's new band moniker, Evangelista.
Bozulich's first record for Constellation, issued in 2006, was released
under her own name, and bore the album title Evangelista. That album
title has now migrated to become the band name. So...this is the new
album, titled Hello, Voyager, by the newly named band Evangelista,
featuring Carla Bozulich. You follow? No worries, there will not be a
quiz.
Carla's 2006 Constellation release was widely celebrated
as her strongest, most fearless and compelling record in years, and
ended up on many year end lists, including The Wire (UK), Blow Up
(Italy) and WMFU (Brian Turner's blog) to name a few. Carla toured
Evangelista all over Europe and North America, with core bandmate Tara
Barnes at her side, and a rotating cast of other musicians, including
Shahzad Ismaily and members of Thee Silver Mt. Zion (all of whom
contributed to the original recording as well).
The Evangelista
band continues to comprise Carla and Tara as its nucleus, and continues
to build on its relationship with Montreal (where the last album was
also made). Hello, Voyager was recorded in Montreal at the Hotel2Tango
by Efrim Menuck in late summer 2007, with an even larger cast of
Montreal musicians joining Carla, Tara and Shahzad this time around, to
work up a more stylistically diverse batch of songs. Raw, beautifully
ravaged, semi-improvised soundscapes still underpin Carla's incantatory
sung and spoken lyrics on the album's opening and closing tracks, but
much of the rest of the record is more overtly composed. Blistering
nuggets like the snarling "Smooth Jazz" and the desperate "Truth Is
Dark Like Outer Space" are the most rocking tunes Carla has put to tape
since the demise of The Geraldine Fibbers, while "The Blue Room" (one
of Carla's finest songs, and one she has been carrying around for many
years) is finally captured in a stunning studio arrangement that
includes organ, violin, cello and contrebasse. "Lucky Lucky Luck" is a
playful, sassy, fractured take on the misfit narrative and "Paper
Kitten Claw" is its methodical, reflective, poetic foil. Carla's voice
perfectly sets and channels the prevailing mood on each song, and is
strong as ever.
The new album includes contributions from over a
dozen Montreal players, including most of Thee Silver Mt. Zion (chiefly
on string arrangements), as well as Nadia Moss (organ) and a corps of
local drummers who bang out the thunderous rhythm track on "Smooth
Jazz" and drive the epic sprawl of the album's closing title track.
Constellation
is thrilled to be releasing Carla's second album for the label on CD
and 180gLP. Both formats come in our custom cardstock packaging, with
artwork featuring paintings by Montreal artist (and Evangelista player)
Nadia Moss, and include a fold-out lyric sheet insert. |
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