Lenka: Lenka
Lenka releases her self-titled debut album
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Wednesday, 01, Jul 2009 10:18
Epic, out now.
In a nutshell...
The debut album from the former Decoder Ring lead singer who sounds like the love child of Bjork and Regina Spektor
What's it all about?
Eleven tracks clocking in at around about 40 mins long. They're breathy and bouncy and poppy. Perhaps unsurprisingly.
Who's it by
As mentioned above, Lenka Kripac is the former lead singer of indie/electro outfit Decoder Ring. After a second album with them, she decided to go solo. She's Czech-Australian and has had a bit-part role in Home and Away, naturally. Relatively unheard of, she's about to go very mainstream indeed.
As an example...
"I'm just a little bit caught in the middle/Life is a maze and love is a riddle/I don't know where to go I can't do it alone I've tried/And I don't know why." - The Show
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
God no. It's just too samey for that.
What the others say
"Lenka is certainly not short on radio friendliness. Listening to the entire album may be rather like eating a pound of lemon bonbons in one sitting, yet there's plenty of promise beyond the sweetness." - Lucy Davies, BBC
"Her competent, Regina Spektor-inspired vocals,¿dappled with strings and joie de vivre whistling on Lenka, give her callow lyrics and twee existential angst some needed heft, and a reason for fans to stick around." - Adrienne Day, EW
So is it any good?
Twee is the perfect word for it. Lenka is pushing hard to be some kind of mainstream crossover of Bjork and Regina Spektor. Trouble is, her lyrics just aren't up to the kind of standards those women have produced. There's just way too many lyrical breaks, whether they be through whistling, la-ing or any other means.
Whilst The Show is undoubtedly excellent summer pop, there's very little else on the album which grabs your attention. Production-wise, this number just fades into the background. The plinky-plunky strings just wash over you like the rain currently washing the summer away.
Let's be honest here, there are a plethora of quirky female singers out there causing much bigger waves. La Roux, Little Boots, Florence and the Machine and to a lesser extent, Lady GaGa are all striding along in both the album and singles charts, and it will take something very special in order for another artist to break into that little melee. Whilst this offering is just fine, it's simply not special enough to do the kind of business those others are.
6/10
Rob Wheatley