Thank God! Something listenable and remotely catchy… Although it’s a little tricky commenting on a band with only one song to go on, everyone has to start somewhere; Grace Solero are obviously named after their striking Goth-lite singer, although her input seems curiously downplayed on this song.
“Troops” comes from their début album New Moon and sounds like Alanis Morrisette being backed by Skunk Anansie (although not quite that good!) with the addition of a chanting male vocal as counterpoint and chorus. The breathy vocals that initially emerge from Grace Solero herself widen into a gutsy wail, but the voice seems strangely subdued on the verses.
The radio edit of “Troops” is a blind alley; the editing clumsy and uncalled for. The full song has breathing space and time for the splashing drums to mark out a frenetic pace that complements the lyrical punch. What is not immediately apparent is what the words are actually saying. War is a bad thing? People get hurt? Troops out of Iraq? What? I can’t decipher half the lyrics, so I’m none the wiser.
That said, if this were a B-side I’d be tempted to check out Grace Solero’s album.
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Posted in Music reviews |
Tags: alternative, goth, Grace Solero, indie, rock, Troops
