S.
Puking and Crying
Suicide Squeeze
S. is the solo guise for Jenn Ghetto of the (sic)ly band Clarissa’s Wierd. The included press kit makes claims that this album should appeal to fans of indie rock royalty Bjork, Belle & Sebastian and Postal Service, and it’s true a slight resemblance can be heard of the first and third, but it’s fleeting at best. As the black cover indicates, this a much darker record than you’ll hear from the above trio. Ghetto’s claustrophobic, break-up neurosis wail is more in tune with Chan Marshall, Julie Doiron and Morrissey. “All I can do is hurt you” (from “Falling”) and “And the bruises all make sense now” (which closes “I’m Fine… Bye Bye”) are pretty indicative soundbytes of the overall mood.
The music matches the lyrics spade for spade, crackling and shuddering like broken equipment from a deserted hospital. The album trades time between an odd calm brought on by oxygen-deprived spells of vertigo and thin, reedy but powerful post-punk. Old news, I know, but Ghetto and her collaborators Josh Wackerly and Creighton Barrett have sharpened their focus much more intimately than many of their affected peers. If you’ve just been dumped or you’re going to be spending Valentine’s Day alone this year, here’s your soundtrack.
Suicide Squeeze: http://www.suicidesqeeze.net
