Bat For Lashes - Fur And Gold Album Review

Bat For Lashes
Fur And Gold
Album Review

Without coming across as a male chauvinist, I think it would be fair to suggest that the majority of all-female outfits only generally exist within the confounds of bubblegum pop. I mean it's almost unheard of to find an all-female outfit attached to quality, cutting edge music. However, Bat For Lashes are one of those few all-female outfits that have the ability to make most bands sound ordinary, and their radiating talent is displayed within the dark & complex record "Fur And Gold".

This Brighton based outfit, have a sound that consists of sparse classical arrangements with strings and piano providing moments of lingering anxiety. The lyrics are very sombre, very visual, and very complex, and lead singer Natasha Khan has what can be described as "stunning vocal talent" with these incredibly pure & haunting qualities that portray the lyrics in the manner in which they deserve to be heard. The bjork comparisons are more than justified and tracks such as "Bats Mouth" & "Trophy" don't fail to hide that evident influence.

Despite the strength of this record, Some people may find this just too difficult to grasp, the complexity of the songs make it a difficult listen and it's the close study that will reap the rewards. There are no really glaringly obvious standout songs, and hooks are few and far between, but what you do get is a pallet of solid pieces that construct this mellow and fantastically elegant record.

I think one thing we can all safely assume is that Fur And Gold is a thing of subtle beauty, and Bat For Lashes are a very promising band indeed.

Colin Burrill