CD Review

Seattle based sextet, Pretty Girls Make Graves (yes, like that Smiths song) have been recording their punk/goth music since 2002’s Good Health. They made quite a clamor with their 2003 follow up, The New Romance, establishing themselves as a considerable indie rock band, but it took three more years to record another album. That long layoff was mainly due to recording a record they were unhappy with, then scrapping the project and starting over. Then when that was out of the way, they introduced a new member, keyboardist Leona Marrs. And after all that struggle, they've finally created the record they were destined to record: Élan Vital.

Élan Vital opens with lead singer Andrea Zollo’s baleful vocals on “In Nocturnal.” She has a way of drawing out the syllables with her aquiver timbre creating distinction. “In Nocturnal” has an art/punk urgency with stabbing keyboards and abrasive yelps that echo with pounding rhythms introducing a dark/goth sound. The entire album coalesces a myriad of instrumentations and melodies of keyboards, horns and guitar feedback becoming sonically pleasing. The next track and the best is “Pyrite Pedestal.” It begins with the poetic lyrics: “Once, while falling into approvals tricky arms/I saw esteem's corpse/Deafened by allure's sweet, sweet song.” It’s upbeat and pops right out with ecstatic percussion clangings and keyboard beats. “Parade” is a commanding and jovial track about blue collar workers taking a strike. While “Pearls on a Plate” is the most diverse song on the album with ethereal and almost instrumental vibes of warm keyboards, dreaminess and fireworks shooting off.

What comes across is how everyone contributes their own melodies and instrumentations to the songs. The record offers a variety of instruments as heard on “Selling the Wind,” with the strong use of an accordion and “Bullet Charm” with acid jazz horns bleeding through and “Pictures of a Night Scene.”

Élan Vital isn’t a straight out rock album like The New Romance, but the diminutive punk guitar riffs and the increased keyboards are a welcome addition that gives the music a layered boost. Pretty Girls Make Graves has ventured into fresh waters and taken some encouraging risks.

For more info see: prettygirlsmakegraves.com