December 1, 2003

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Sugarplum Fairies

Introspective Raincoat Student Music

Starfish

reviewed by Adam McKibbin

Everything about Introspective Raincoat Student Music—its lyrics, melodies, artwork, photography and, most glaringly, its title—projects a time of stasis in life. These are midnight-hour songs, glass of red wine in hand, wondering what ever became of that sweet boy who left you for that vapid club girl. Silvia Ryder is an enchanting vocalist cut from the same cloth as Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval, but her lyrics have a sharper edge to them (the very first line is “I thought you always hated those lip gloss girls you dated/With skinny legs and all that”). Believing that the tracks on their last album (Flake) were overproduced, Ryder and Ben Bohm set out for a more lo-fi approach on this release, centered almost entirely around slow and mid-tempo songs. While there isn’t anything as immediately bracing as Flake’s “10 Cents Philosophies,” the album, as a whole, feels more complete and consistent.

This is a local band that does things differently — instead of recording with a producer who wanted to carve them into the Portishead niche, Ryder formed her own label. Now, for their follow-up, they delve further into Bohm’s spacey pop arrangements instead of chasing after a harder-rocking commercial formula. While the album eschews overt hooks, there are some quietly contagious riffs sprinkled throughout, such as on the lovely, breathy “Tuesday Headache” and “Sleepover.” Introspective Raincoat Student Music has few radio shots outside of KCRW, but the underexposure will make them even more of a selfish pleasure when it comes out of your own stereo.