St Vincent: St Vincent

ANNIE CLARK’S fourth album under the St Vincent banner has that fabulously indefinable yet unmistakeable sense of a major talent flowering into full bloom.
From the moment Rattlesnake opens proceedings with its juddering synthesised bass to when Severed Crossed Fingers draws things to a close some 40 minutes later, Ms Clark never fails to captivate.
Album number four is a largely keyboard-driven affair but, like her previous three efforts, it’s well worth investigating and her wild guitar is still much in evidence.
One minute she’s unleashing her anger on the listener like an electronic Savages (Huey Newton), the next she’s lurching into the pop hemisphere like a tooled up Girls Aloud, showing her talent for a catchy chorus complete with Beyonce-style “ah-ah-ahs”.
What’s most impressive, though, is Clark’s use of melody. Digital Witness, Birth in Reverse, Psychopath and Regret may have lyrics your granny won’t like (“Oh what an ordinary day / Take out the garbage, masturbate”) but they are supported by sterling tunes that could easily penetrate the fab 40.
The lilting, luscious yet slightly disturbing Prince Johnny and I Prefer Your Love are even better.

Like this? Try these: Girls Aloud, Chemistry; Chemical Brothers, Dig Your Own Hole; Savages: Silence Yourself.