Residue in Bloomington, MN

Amy X Neuburg
's first solo album in 12 years (and five years after
Sports! Chips! Booty!
by her group
Amy X Neuburg & Men
) catches her at a creative peak. The exuberant
pop
side of her albums with
the Men
has been toned down in favor of a stronger focus on her voice, extensively multi-tracked. If one may miss the
cabaret
antics of
at first,
Residue
soon turns any feeling of loss into a rediscovery of this singer's amazing voice and seemingly unlimited creativity. The songs on
have been conceived for live solo performance. They consist of multiple real-time looping and multi-tracking of voice, keyboard patterns, and
electronic
percussion rhythms. The writing and delivery still hold ties to the
avant
feel of earlier efforts, although this time around
Neuburg
sticks closer to
art song
.
Laurie Anderson
,
Anna Homler
, and
Dagmar Krause
often come to mind through the course of this album, but
weaves her very own world, filled with ironic
gestures, witty lyrics, and gripping vocal acrobatics. Highlights include the opening
"The Tattoo Song,"
a rich tapestry of vocals consisting of part typical
(with a strong
Herb Heinz
vibe) and part Dies Irae.
"Every Little Stain"
uses a toothbrush loop for a beat (and it works very well; you might not even notice it).
"Life Stepped In"
sees
in a duet with herself over the phone.
"My God"
combines delicate melodies with harsh passages of a noisy nature. The closing
"Residue"
is completely
a cappella
, but the density and cleverness of the vocal loops make it one of the most arranged tracks of the album. Don't mind the absence of
;
can handle her music on her own. Recommended. ~ Francois Couture