My Electric Family by Bachelorette
LABEL: Drag City



There is a lot of hype from Drag City about this album. I'll admit I had not heard of the artist prior to it—something I rarely get to say. It’s all true and then some. Early in the year yet, but it’s hard to imagine anything coming out this year that’s going to knock this out from my personal album of the year right now.

The press info compares her to Kraftwerk, Gary Numan, Syd Barrett and Brian Wilson...that's a lot to live up to, especially for an ambitious solo project of this scale. The usual supply of electro-pop instruments are there, all playing their parts on the horizon and yet she is able to get wonderful and unique sounds and feelings out from them. Low beat, thoughtful and minimalist at points, it creates a wonderfully surreal dreamspace for you to lay back and focus on the way it all plays together with the words in her almost-folk discussion of the technology and her place with it. It is inspirational and comforting at once, creating a comfortable space for you. It can really envelop your perceptions when you let it get in. Jaded is practically a job requirement for review and criticism but that makes being deeply touched by the music as in this recording all the more meaningful.

While much of this album transcends a lot of what we consider pop, there are more than enough elements that the listener can enjoy just as a mindless experience as well. It doesn't always have to be a long night of listening to your music, as pleasant as those are. Give it a listen and find yourself coming back for it again and again.

REVIEW BY RAIN PLETCHER
rain@groovemine.com