Between The Earth And Sea

Strangefruit

AWAL Distribution, 2013

http://www.strangefruituk.com

REVIEW BY: Tom Haugen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 10/31/2013

London alt-rockers Strangefruit have thrown their hat in the ring as yet another budding outfit from London deserving of your attention. Taking the safe route with a quick EP for their first trip to the plate, each of the five songs here could be a single as each radiates well in its own light, beautifully highlighting front woman Jenny Maxwell's stunning voice. my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

"Tell Me" leads off with soft piano melodies before leaping into a lively pop rock formula where Maxwell's range is explored well. "Falling" follows and is a more subdued track that's heavy on the organ with Maxwell being backed up with male vocals and comes with a great chorus that you won't soon forget, too. The aptly titled “Ghosts” at the halfway point moves on with the dark feel that London is known for, a slow burning and hypnotic song where her alluring vocals come off as cinematic. It’s a dramatic shift in tone, it's almost as if Strangefruit are channeling their inner Portishead at this point. "Slowly Drift Away" keeps the ominous theme going, though in a quieter fashion, and is easily the calmest song present. “Sea Of Fog” the ends the quick disc and shows a different side of the band, with Spanish influenced guitars and a Goth feel while being both powerful and on the heavier side. It's one of the liveliest moments and even has violins involved.

Despite the fact that there are just five songs here, each track often sounds like it has a song or two within it, as the band rarely relies on repetition or treads the same path for too long. Though female led indie bands are a dime a dozen these days, the addition of fuzzy psyche-rock, classic jazz feelings, and dark indie rock (not to mention violins, xylophones, and pianos) make Strangefruit a band worth keeping tabs on.

Rating: B

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© 2013 Tom Haugen and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of AWAL Distribution, and is used for informational purposes only.