Gwenno

MP3: Gwenno - U & I

I've had this ep sitting on my desktop in the zip folder it was offered in on link from Gwenno's myspace blog since the day it was made available to the public, however I didn't even listen to it until today. Shame on me.

The draw for me at first was, of course, that it is from a member of the Pipettes aka my #1 album of last year (and maybe this year too, as it was issued here in the states finally last month with 2 brand new tracks, and plus nothing has come out in '07 that is anywhere near as good). I'd heard a couple of her solo tracks awhile back and they were quite good, but being that they were stuck on a website, they literally and figuratively didn't travel with me beyond that.

So today I decided to transfer that pesky zip file into my iTunes once and for all and give them the ears they deserved and just my luck, they're fucking brilliant and a welcome companion to "We Are the Pipettes". The "U & I" ep leaves behind the lavish production of WATP for keyboards and drum machines, bringing Gwenno's phenomenal voice to forefront more so than ever.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that this is just pure pop music. The songs aren't weighed down by it's lyrics or harmonies, but are just merely 2+ minute songs of sugary goodness and winning melodies: a winning formula for entertainment. She says these are just demos for the time being, but they're beyond good enough for me. Can't wait for an album (and more from the Pipettes of course!).

Fun fact: According to last.fm, Jennifer Love Hewitt is a similar artist. Am I missing out?