Switchblade Symphony
Bread and Jam for Frances (Cleopatra)
by Lex Marburger
I could hear her screaming from down the hall. It was Angela, our Goth writer. She and Clarendon were at odds over the new Switchblade Symphony album. Now, if I’ve got this right, Switchblade’s first album, Serpentine Gallery, was the largest selling album that Cleopatra had ever put out. It was generally hailed as a touchstone for a “New Goth” – one that focused on slinkier beats, but refusing to get ethereal. So Bread And Jam For Frances was in the office, and the freelancers (well, two of them anyway) were in an uproar.
“I don’t believe it. How do they think they can get away with something like that?”
“I’m not sure I understand, Angela.”
“The opening line! I mean, ‘Witches they fly/On broomsticks ya know/Angels have wings/To catch the wind’s blow…’ It’s ridiculous. If any, and I mean any, fledgling Goth band tried to pull that one off, they’d get righteously slammed, and deservedly so!”
“But couldn’t it be considered irony? Or satire? Really, if these women are as important to the, ahem, ‘scene’ as you say they are, they must realize what they’re doing. Doesn’t the next verse talk about skeletons, goblins, and spiders in a similar elementary vein?”
“Don’t remind me. It’s possible that they’re poking some fun at this whole Goth commercialism thing, but why did it have to be the first song? That’s sure to turn off both old and new fans, not to mention the reviewers. Sure, there will be a few diehard fans who will love them simply because of who they are, but… I just don’t know.”
“But Angela, that’s just the first song, and it’s only the lyrics. What about the music, or the rest of the album for that matter? From what I’ve heard, they’re trying to do some sort of crossover thing. That second tune sounds sort of like Garbage.”
“Shut up! Tina does not sound like that Shirley bitch. I know what you mean about the music, but they’ve always been like that. Their grooves have always been connected with slow grinding dance rather than spurious arm twisting or pumping fists. That’s really what set them apart in the first place, a bold sexuality and music that comes from the hips. I’m not sure if that’s really a turntable scratching on ‘Dirty Dog,’ but there’s definitely more hop-hop in the beats. Could be the live drummer. But that’s not the point, Clarendon. I don’t want them to be a crossover. We gave them Manson (they can keep him, for all I care), we’re in the fashion section of Spin and Rolling Stone, it’s getting to be too much. Can’t we have the one Goth band that stood out among all others in the past few years stay in the scene?”
“Angela, I’m afraid you have no say in the matter. And anyway, I like the sound. It’s a lot better produced, and stuff like ‘Situation #58,’ even though it’s Goth by proxy, is more like Tricky than anything else. As far as I can see, the only difference between Bread and Jam… and Serpentine Gallery is that they had a lot more money for studio time and post production. Tina still has her voice, a mix of opera and schoolgirl, the rhythm section still has a ‘sexy groove,’ as you say… It seems like the only problem you’re having is with the lyrics.”
“But you have to admit that the lyrics are nowhere near as good. Don’t you think that ‘Sleep’ is just like ‘Bad To The Bone,’ just inverted?”
“What, ‘I don’t look good/I don’t sound good?’ Really, Angela, that’s reaching a bit. I think you’re just upset about two things: their attempt at crossing over, and that first track, especially. Listen to ‘Harpsichord.’ That has all the hooks and melodies of their first album, can you deny that?”
“Well, no, but…”
“And as far as the whole ‘crossover’ bit, if they didn’t, they probably couldn’t support themselves. The Goth scene, tight as you say it is, is even smaller than the punks were before the whole Nirvana/Green Day thing came along. There’s a ceiling, and it’s painted black. Look, what would you think if the album started with the fourth track?”
“Well, that would take care of ‘Witches,’ and that part in ‘Roller Coaster’ where Tina sings ‘We are laughing/Ha ha ha ha.’ Okay, I can see that. Yeah, it would be a better album. Why do you think they did that, though?”
“When did Gallery come out?”
“Around ’95 or so.”
“Did they do anything in between?”
“Well, Læther Strip did a remix of ‘Clown,’ and there was a limited edition EP called Scrapbook that wasn’t really sold in stores, but nothing really. Why?”
“Obviously, they needed to release something now to keep them current, and look what happened in the meantime. Electro, Trip-Hop, and even Goth became much more popular, Grunge took a nosedive -”
“Thank God.”
“I agree. But they evolved along with the rest, and stylistically,and as there were some changes that happened, lyrical content may have suffered. But only on a few tunes. I think that if they had given it a few more months, those tracks may have been scrubbed. But they needed to release something now. I’d suggest skipping the first few songs if that bothers you so much. Better yet, program your CD player to start with ‘Fractal.’ I know you like that one.”
“Yeah, you’re right. But it’s strange. There’s some of that ‘scratching’ going on, but it’s wiggly, bizarre. Then that crunchy guitar under the operatic voice of Tina’s… I haven’t really heard anything like that before, especially not from them.”
“And the track after that, the one with the cello? As far as I can tell, that’s about as Goth as it gets. Now, really, Angela. Honestly, can you really say you don’t like the album? I mean, really?”
“No, I like it. Once it gets going, it’s really a good album. I’m just let down by the first impression.”
“Then listen to it again, make a more informed decision, and then write the article that way.”
“But Clarendon, I wanted to give Bread and Jam… a really good review, and now I have to hedge my bets. How should I say that I like the album and still point out my problems with it?”
I had to break in and stop taking notes. “Angela, no need. I think I got most of it down. The important parts at least. You and Clar want to come over here and touch this up? I think you just wrote the piece. And hell, since I’m music editor, I’ll let it stand.”
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