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Joan of Arc
Boo Human
Polyvinyl Records
The blurb on the back of Joan Of Arc's latest album Boo Human describes each song as "wildly different and uniquely constructed," and one listen confirms that statement: it's a decidedly successful mix of varying styles and genres. There are acoustic songs, such as the beautiful "Shown and Told," with its heartbreaking vocals; the jangly "If There Was Time #1," and the oddly-titled "A Tell-Tale Penis" is the most melodic track on the album. Then there are the harder, more alt-rock sounding songs, like the intense "Vine On A Wire" and the instrumental "The Surrender #1." The upbeat "Laughter Reflected Back, has a carnival-like sound to it and the bizarre "Insects Don't Eat Bananas," boasts an appealing child-like quality (not to mention another most curious title). Boo Human takes a couple of listens before you really get into it, and some songs just never succeed, like the unappealing "9/11 2," which features purposely wailing off-key vocals over strings. Overall, the chaotic nature of the songs represents exactly what you would expect given the variety of musicians that put them together. Frankly, the songs that work best here are the ones that combine the band's desire to challenge conventional songwriting and a more standard approach.
--Jessica Simons
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