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Serena Maneesh Serena Maneesh Released in 2005 8.4/10 Styles Noise-Rock Shoegazing Psychedelia Song Highlights Drain Cosmetics Candlelighted Sapphire Eyes High |
In 1991 I was ten years old, so my musical tastes weren't quite refined enough that I'd ever notice the goings on of the indie-rock community of the day. For this reason, I never knew about My Bloody Valentine, never knew about their noise-rock masterpiece Loveless, and never knew about the slew of weak immitators that supposedly followed in their wake. Thanks to the wonders of CD-reissues and the intenet, however, I am now more adequately informed. So why the introduction about a band who aren't even the subject of this review, you ask? Well, I'm not entirely sure that the state of post-MBV noise-rock is a dire as people make out, but if it even comes close, then Norweigan collective Serena Maneesh's self-titled debut should be regarded by noise-rock aficionados as nothing short of a miracle. So, that should be clear. They do noise-rock, and they do it well. However, it doesn't stop there, and nor should it, as there's nothing particularly interesting about cut-copy retreads of other bands' material. Serena Maneesh do their best to carve out their own niche, and do so by combining their exceptional noise-rock/shoegazing aesthetic with a host of 70s psychedelia and dream-pop influences. As with every review of Loveless you're ever likely to read, the use of words like "etherial" and "wall of noise" are inevitable here, but for once they're not the entire point of the music. Serena Maneesh is a perfectly executed noise-rocker which actually has something new to offer, and that's pretty exciting stuff. The album opens with "Drain Cosmetics," which is easily one of the best showcases of the Serena Maneesh sound. Crunchy, distorted guitars envelope the listener right from the onset, shortly before giving way to dreamy bursts of arena-rock guitar and fuzzy, spaced out vocals. The whole production is a stoner's dream, but it's just as accessible and catchy as it is floaty and surreal (a key element which made Loveless such a masterpiece). Serena Maneesh have two lead singers, one male and one female, who alternate on vocals about equally. The majority of the vocals have that "drowned out" feeling typical of noise-rock and shoegazing, but there's a few tracks that actually bring them out to the front of the production, and the album sounds richer for the variation. "Her Name is Suicide" and "Sapphire Eyes High" are probably the album's two most ghostly pieces, both stripped back and accentuated by drifting vocals which never quite pin themselves down. These dream like tracks are extremely professional, and only bolster Serena Maneesh's status as a truly original act. My personal favourite, however, is "Candlelighted." Initially it's heavily reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine's dreamy pop, yet as the song progresses it tears away from being a simple homage, showcasing some of the album's most addictive percussion, as well as featuring an amazing, drawn out vocal harmony which brings the song to its close. So, if you like My Bloody Valentine, 70s rock, trippy music, and are open to homages that still have their own distinct sound, then Serena Maneesh might well be your album of the year. It's definitely a contender for me. Very highly recommended. |