Sometimes it’s all just too much. I get stressed over things I really don’t have to worry about, nothing makes sense and I just want to escape into being a girl. When these episodes strike, I usually put on a limited, repeated loop of The Smiths and Hole and float along through my estrogen ocean, waiting to come back to equilibrium. So I sat down this afternoon, pen in hand, to write an album review. What I was not expecting was to be assaulted with a Riot Grrrl throwback for the 21st century. Lord Snow’s Solitude threw me right into that aforementioned hormonal ocean, but instead of floating back to shore, I doggy-paddled myself to exhaustion, wanting to stay in place.
I will admit Solitude took some getting used to on my part. I “wtf’d” my way through the first three tracks, just feeling it out. But once I got it, I got it. Maybe it’s just an unexplainable affinity I have for punk, but by the end of this 11-track album, I wanted more. Musically, I have to give most of the credit to the drummer. The strength, speed and agility of his abilities are flawless. In many instances, his skill takes over where the vocals are absent, as the vocalist sounds as if she is screaming from another room. This effect is my only point of contention with the album. While it is a really cool sound for one or two tracks, an entire album of this technique leaves the listener straining to make sense of the lyrics—which is a shame, because her voice is amazing. But when the lyrics can be heard, there is an incredible amount of depth and vulnerability to them. They want to make us uncomfortable—and if we could only fully understand them, I’m certain we would be.
So listen to it once then listen to it again. With each subsequent listen, it’ll grow on you. Just bring a lifejacket along for your swim.
Grade: B
