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8 out of 10
Lisa Hannigan used to sing with Damien Rice, that's where I first heard her. She was singing "Fuck You" in the song Rootless Tree with Damien on a late night Abbey Road special. You know when you hear a vocal line that has come from the very heart and soul of the singer and when you hear her sing "Foxtrot Unicorn" you know it's for real it would not be wise getting on the wrong side of her.
To hear the first track "Ocean and a Rock" is like listening to a new and refreshed Lisa Hannigan. Even though the subject of the song is about missing someone far away, I don't seem to be as scared of her as I was when I first saw that TV clip. "Venn Diagram" swings back and forth with luscious strings holding it in place, shedding a little light on either Lisa's love of waking up next to that special person, or make a swift exit after waking up next to that "special" person..
The song that gets my vote is "I Don't Know" - which is accompanied by a great video. It trots along with a light hearted trumpet and sweeping strings, while Lisa reminds us of that person you see in the street that blows you away. Resulting in you picturing them stealing your duvet, making you tea, stealing your cigarettes and having no knowledge of Krautrock, but it doesn't matter because they are amazing.and you know you'll never see them again.
The haunting "Keep it All" is very much in the vein of Regina Spektor / Imogen Heap and leaves the listener slightly uneasy - that's the "F.U." coming back again. The Bert Jensch (of Pentangle fame) cover "Courting Blues" is so far removed from the original that it's barely unrecognisable - the droning strings are brilliant. Lisa's strongest vocal performance is on the song "Teeth" - which she should have dueted with the late Jeff Buckley. The euphoric build up on this song is reason one to see her live!
There is a live video of "Lille" on Irish TV that had the same effect on me as the Abbey Road clip - wow! Lisa Hannigan has a beautiful voice - like your girlfriend's voice when she is content, head wrapped in duvet opposite you in bed.. and not for once not moaning about being cold. Strange analogy, but I hope you know what I mean.
This is one of those albums you will return to time and time again and will never grow old.
Lisa is playing in live in April/May - check her MySpace for details. (And if you meet her, can you give her my number.)
Listen: www.myspace.com/lisahannigan
Tracklist:
1. Ocean and a Rock
2. Venn Diagram
3. Sea Song
4. Splishy Splashy
5. I Don't Know
6. Keep it All
7. Courting Blues
8. Pistachio
9. Teeth
10. Lille
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