REVIEW. MELORA CREAGER --- PERPLEXIONS.

Melora Creager is the founder member (and main vocalist/songwriter) for cello-rock ensemble Rasputina.  This is her first solo CD and was released at the end of 2006.  Musically, it isn't a great departure from the Rasputina sound although Melora has used keyboards on a couple of songs which Rasputina have only used on rare occasions earlier in their career.  The songs are more towards the quirkier, unusual type of Rasputina song so although they do sound good they lack the immediate impact of songs like The Mayor or AntiqueHighHeelRedDollShoes.   It's been indicated that she intended this EP to be a taster for the next Rasputina album but presumably contractual obligatons meant she had to release it under her own name  (Rasputina are now on their own label, Filthy Bonnet Co.) rather than as a Rasputina EP.

Their previous E.P.s had been comprised solely of cover versions/remixes and they'd already done a live album so maybe she thought it would be good to do something different as a taster so this EP features 6 original tracks and 1 cover version, American Girl by Tom Petty.  This EP continues the theme that Rasputina have used in the past of writing about historical events in an eccentric way or interpreting current events with an idiosyncratic twist.  So we get songs about the volcanic eruption at Krakatoa and Warbots (military robots) and lyrics taken from the news reports of the California storms from a few years ago.  But apart from a great rendition of American Girl, I'm afraid that although it was pleasant enough, it didn't haunt me in the way previous Rasputina releases have.  If you're a die hard Rasputina fan you'll probably still like to have it and it's enough of a curiousity to be worth taking a chance on if you're a fan of other great eccentrics like Joanna Newsome or Bjork but if you're looking for a specific introduction to the genius of Rasputina, I'd honestly recommend an earlier album.

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN MAY 2008.