Search - Lismore :: We Could Connect Or We Could Not

Moody...Dream-like....

Libre007 | Oregon | 04/20/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a beautiful CD...Not one for just any mood mind you..But when you happen to stumble into one of those rainy-day trances, this is the perfect soundtrack. Perfect for popping in late at night or as background music that will sure to have your company saying "wow who is this?" my advice? If you think that you would like dreamy female vocals over ethereal, moody electronics...Just get it..And save it for a rainy day."

We could almost connect

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 06/24/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Lismore has an odd lineup, with a former DJ, jazz vocalist and the Ween bassist all doing duty in it. Surprisingly, the result sounds like... none of the above, really. Instead, it's a dreamy, melodious mix of glitch-pop, rock'n'roll and a shoegazer pop.



It opens with the tripped-out synth and guitar of "Tremolo," before skipping to uncomfortable synth-rock, and a tremulous slow-moving ballad that showcases Penelope Trappes' pretty vocals. That pretty much sums up the album, with its strengths lying in the synthier, trippier numbers rather than the uneven rocker "Pour Un Ancien Ami."



What follows is a mix of synthy shoegazer and rock -- Lismore dabbles in just about every kind of musical combination they can think of, not to mention every musical style they can pull off. Like the drums-and-synth "Angelize," the techno "Tonight," the murky pop of "Come Undone," or the jazzy flavour of "Finest Hour."



Lismore does quite a bit of dabbling in different styles, and most of their songs are pretty much successful in straddling the electronic/rock fence. And they do a good job of blending the grittier drums and bass with swirling guitar and synth. Not everyone can do that successfully, or even semi-successfully.



Yet somehow their sound is a bit too ambient to actually take off -- if they kept some constant beats or tunes, their sound would be absolutely mind-blowing. As it is, it's pleasantly melodious, with some definite stumbling blocks when they get too gritty and rock-y.



Trappes has a pretty voice, insofar as I can tell -- her vocals tend to blend into the woodwork, making it hard to hear her. The exception is "Cut," where she shows off a dramatic, dreamy vocal style over those swirling guitars. Stephen Hindman (also known as "DJ Kingsize") also does an outstanding job with the synths and programming, adding a weird trippy sound to otherwise ordinary beats.



Lismore's "We Could Connect Or We Could Not" is an eclectic, electric little melting pot, though it's too mellow and ambient to really take off. Still, it's a pleasant listen on a rainy summer day."