SUSANNA AND THE MAGICAL ORCHESTRA "Melody Mountain"

I used to have this teenage ritual where I would light up some candles and incense around 3am, be sad about nothing in particular, and play side one of Cocteau Twins' "Head Over Heels". I'm not sure what I was trying to prove, at 17, I had little to feel morose about (in hindsight), but I'm sure every high schooler did something similar. Maybe it was the growing pains of living in such a banal community, yearning to explore, something something. What I know is that "Melody Mountain" could easily replace "Head Over Heels" had it been made in 1986.

Susanna And The Magical Orchestra isn't that well known in the Americas. 2004's mostly original "List Of Lights And Buoys" was an underrated electronic gem, sparse and pretty. Susanna's cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene", though, must've struck a nerve with listeners and the band themselves as they follow up "Buoys" with the all covers collection "Melody Mountain". This year's model of This Mortal Coil perhaps?

While Nouvelle Vague is the happy-go-lucky partying younger sister, Susanna & co. is the more mature older sister with the cool record collection. It's obvious from the songs covered that Susanna is more interested in her unique reworkings of the songs than getting people to get up and bossa nova to a Modern English song. Susanna covers Scott Walker and Leonard Cohen sure, but also adds a Prince ballad and yet another version of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart". How many does that make in the last few years?

More interestingly, AC/DC's "It's A Long Way To The Top" is given the Portishead on even more Klonopin® treatment and Susanna is convincing when she sings, "getting stoned, getting beat up, broken boned" over a cocksure harpsichord. Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence" is included here today, too. "Melody Mountain" is out on August 14 on Rune Grammofon, find it if you're so inclined.

This week is new music week. I haven't ripped any new vinyl in a while, but plan to if I can find an hour or two. Friday's 21 track super fun summer mix comes down at the end of the day today, so get it while the gettin's good.

IT'S A LONG WAY TO THE TOP
ENJOY THE SILENCE