Sarah Nixey - Brave Tin Soldiers

Artist:

Sarah Nixey

UPC:

5055300329103

Description:

Audio Mixer: Tim Bran.
Recording information: Jimmy`s Place; Nixey`s Chamber.
Photographer: Dirk Lindner.
Self-proclaimed ice maiden Sarah Nixey may possess the kind of crisp, English RP accent that makes Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Sarah Cracknell sound like unintelligible loudmouths, but as anyone familiar with her work with Black Box Recorder will know, voices can be deceptive. While her detached headmistress tones may conjure up images of boarding school assemblies and social etiquette lessons, her second solo album, Brave Tin Soldiers, deals with subjects so macabre that even Nick Cave would turn them down for being too bleak. "Gathering Shadows," a gentle slice of melancholic pop with occasional bursts of hymnal choral vocals, is a heartbreaking murder ballad about a gun-toting father, the shuffling gothic folk of "Black Rose" recounts the tale of Betty Corrigall, the ostracized, unmarried 16th century woman who killed herself after becoming pregnant, while the Motown-tinged Baroque pop of "Silent Hour" addresses the 2010`s spate of teen suicides in Bridgend. Although the album`s lyrics may not make for easy listening, Nixey`s softly whispered voice and her organic self-production, which eschews the electronica of her debut Sing, Memory, provide an enchanting contrast which ensures that the haunting stories are a little easier to swallow. "Love Gets Dangerous," the sole nod to her indie-disco past, is a curious fusion of Morricone-inspired Spaghetti Western guitars and pounding house beats, the title track is a radio-friendly piece of retro lounge-pop which shows that Nixey`s fascination with the darker side of life hasn`t prevented her from producing an infectious melody or two, while the stunning closer, "Frost at Midnight," opens with three minutes of understated, mournful acoustics before ending in a prog rock-inspired flurry of sweeping strings, crashing percussion, and gorgeous, dream-like chanting. Considering its story-telling nature, it`s only fitting that Brave Tin Soldiers should sound so cinematic, and indeed, its orchestral atmospherics would make the perfect soundtrack for the next David Lynch mindbender. Despite its unsettling themes, Nixey`s sophomore album is still a warm and charming record which reinstates her position as Britain`s most elegant chanteuse. ~ Jon O`Brien

Track Listing:

DISC 1

1. Silk Threads
2. Brave Tin Soldiers
3. Cat`s Cradle
4. Gathering Shadows
5. Homecoming, The
6. Love Gets Dangerous
7. Miss Sauvignon
8. Black Rose
9. Burial of Love, The
10. Silent Hour
11. Frost at Midnight

Album Information

Release Date:

05/09/2011

Type:

Performer

Genre:

Rock & Pop

Subgenre:

Alternative

Label:

Black Lead

Producer:

Sarah Nixey

Catalog Number:

BLRS 002CD

Original Release Year:

2011

# of Discs:

1

Studio/Live:

Studio

Mono/Stereo:

Stereo

Runtime:

41 : 20

Portions copyright 2005 Muze Inc. All rights reserved.