Crystal Grenade / Lo! And Behold
Playing time: 36:38
Format: CD
Label: Gonzo Multimedia, 2013
Style: Singer / Songwriter 
Review on 12/29/2013 Boris Theobald
Crystal Grenade is a great work of art. The external appearance, the mood of the music to which it is actually, the poetic lyrics and the song that it expresses - Crystal Grenade is a large work of art.Great, because it works. And small because Crystal Grenade consists only of a single artist. Carol Hodge , Manchester, born in 1982, goes into the late Victorian 1892. As Crystal Grenade they are purely external, in classy corset and adept with elaborate Huttracht, like a mysterious figure that Lewis Carroll would be 'Alice in Wonderland' sprung. The album "Lo! And Behold" finally sounds a bit mysterious and haunting.
In less than a minute produced the instrumental and noise-saturated "Welcome To The Freakshow" a surreal environment: One imagines himself in a dimly lit street - from this side dominates the hectic overwound sounds of a carnival, but over there gives off the sound of a piano in a pub a magical attraction. Arthur Conan Doyle or Charles Dickens might have sketched such places literary, to which the songs of Crystal Grenade fit.
Great fuss she does not. She sings and plays the piano so. Only for "Take Aim!" and "Shape Of Things" also dive - also played by her? - Cellos on here with nervous staccato, there as a soft surface. But this is a big exception - the piano is the instrument of choice and it is much more than just an accompaniment. The piano alone would make small studies from each piece, some sensual touching, sometimes impulsive upsetting. Romantic with ragtime - a touch of soul, a little jazz.Exciting harmonies and enchanting, but moody melodies.
The singing is more than just singing, but a vocal performance. Theatricality is Carol Hodge finally not strange - it was part of the 'Last Supper' tour of the former Crass -Anarcho-Punkers Steve Ignorant .As Crystal Grenade she impressed with the performance of a true exceptional artist. Her singing is only fragile and defensive, and whipped up the next moment and expressive. Impressionism in notes to poetry in shades of gray - the lyrics of Crystal Grenade are, just like them music, thus depressing and at the same time of a rare beauty.
"A piece of paper to express
The gray I feel, the burden I depress
The leaden handcuffs, self-imposed
The shackled soul, disappearing as it moans
Dark matter pushing in to the sunken core
I hide it all away
The drifting listlessness I feel "
("Changed")
The songs unfold an overwhelming momentum despite the sparse instrumentation. The quieter numbers - the ghostly "Changed" and the lyrically plaintive "Shape Of Things" - are no ballads, but sensual Intro spotting scopes. And songs like "You Could Have Lived," "1892 Man," "Nothing To Do With Me" and especially "Take Aim!" let a freeze regularly listening when this piano suddenly launches into vigorous staccato and Carol Hodge almost screams. She does, of course with perfect voice control - what a extremely good strong body, and what a talent agogisches "A voice of gentle pain or unapologetic rage" , it says on their own promotional poster in retro black and white.
Undoubtedly provides Crystal Grenade with "Go Round Twice" from her absolute masterpiece. The song begins tender and melancholy, until then repeated this simple, but so captivating chorus and repeated and constantly increases the Ecstatic and immortalized themselves impressively in the ear:"Give me just enough rope to go round twice ..." There are very small magnificence that make this song countless times to the Listener - things like the intuitive tempo changes will make everybody aware, if you manage after many Hördurchgängen to turn off the feeling and really listen analytically.
For the album "Lo! And Behold" is, however, not made. The (far too few) just under 37 minutes to the hearing are fully felt. Something like this - I dare say - is not possible with a band. Something like this only works with a man and one voice and one instrument. Carol Hodge plays her only with seven fingers. Reason is a rare, congenital hand deformity, she goes very open to it. The debut album ofCrystal Grenade is a product of breathtaking talent - intimate, intelligent and intense. Whether Carol Hodge likes to hear? For me it is the Fiona Apple Manchester. A pearl for the CD rack.
Line-up:
Crystal Grenade (voice, piano),
Nick Zart (additional instrumentation - # 1)
Tracklist
01: Welcome To The Freak Show (0:53)
02: You Could Have Lived (3:24)
03:1892 Man (3:04)
04: Lost For Words (4:42)
05: Changed (3:4)
06: Take Aim! (4:02)
07: Twice Go Round (4:28)
08: Leaving ... (2:03)
09: Shape Of Things (2:47)
10: Nothing To Do With Me (3:26)
11: For Alison (What's Left Behind) [4:08]
AVAILABLE AT GONZO:
 | Lo! And Behold CD - £9.99 |
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