Frankie Cosmos’s Greta Kline is a prodigious talent. Her first two albums married gnarly New York indie with unvarnished, millennial heartbreak. Her third - ‘Vessel’ - develops that aesthetic with increased lyrical confidence and musicality. One suspects that if some of these songs were presented differently, they might make the charts. But that's not really what Frankie Cosmos is about.
One such song, Jesse, opens as a straightforward tale of early 20s angst, then turns into bit of a pop banger with lyrics that divert metaphysically: “I created a scorpion, and then had to kill it / Just like I loved you, and I had to will it / [...] My dream, is to see the world that I’m wearing.”
It’s not so much that Kline wants to retain her indie integrity by undermining her pop side; more that the quality of the songwriting is capable of shining through the lo-fi production.
Elsewhere, Being Alive is a fine example of her laconic singing style working alongside thrashy guitars and a heavy(ish) arrangement. Sonically somewhere between the Drums and Angel Olsen, this track uses the other players in turn to join in singing the chorus. It’s an innovative touch that feels oddly original outside of hip hop.
The album is structurally interesting, too. With 18 tracks checking in at under 35 minutes, it's a strikingly terse record. This approach goes some way to recreating the Bandcamp vibe which first introduced many listeners to Kline’s music. Stand-out ditties include Ur Up and The End (both under 90 seconds), which provide elegant respite from the full band work.
Interestingly, even these restrained offerings seem to tumble into profundity once up and running - Ur Up goes from booty call to lonely patriotism to romantic reverie in quick succession: “I wonder if ur up / I’m America / Thinkin’ of you for no reason.” A writer of integrity and verve.
Frankie Cosmos Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Mon May 28 2018 - MANCHESTER Gorilla
Tue May 29 2018 - GLASGOW Art School
Wed May 30 2018 - BRISTOL THE FLEECE
Thu May 31 2018 - LONDON Scala
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
.jpg)
