Released today via Fat Possum, the self-titled debut from Melody’s Echo Chamber (full stream below) is the epitome of the much-loved shoegaze sound, which, if I am to be honest, isn’t really my scene. The album has its obvious merits — creative ingenuity, audible dedication and telling honesty — but lacks a definitive, chills-up-the-spine revelatory moment that comes with the perfect beat, note, chord, or meaningful break.
There are moments where Melody’s Echo Chamber is close to being spine-chilling, but they seem to end in unrealized potential, like the bass line in the outro of Bisou Magique or the drums during the breakdown mid-You Won’t Be Missing That Part of Me.
I’ll give Snowcapped Andes Crash a solid thumbs-up, however, if only for the greater dynamics that this track offers. The intro is gentle and gorgeous, all shimmering snow and uninterrupted, isolated beauty, and builds with Melody Prochet’s vocals and generous reverb, repeatedly breaking down to build up again. It’s an experimental track, like most on the album, but one that indeed travels somewhere…even if does take its time in doing so.
Now, I must preface my final piece of criticism by acknowledging the possibility it may well make you cringe, but here goes: If I were playing word association on my first listen to the intro to Mount Hopeless, I would respond with “Kanye West.” Strange, I know, but true; I instantly heard a great sample for a hip hop track. In fact (bear with me), featuring a rapper over this track for a remix could really make it epic because Melody’s vocals would provide such a cool base… *commence stone throwing*
Having said all of this, a quick Google search will indeed show that I am fairly alone in my criticisms of this record. There are many, many others out there who feel that Melody’s Echo Chamber is an absolute, multi-layered, masterpiece filled with secret winks and knowing nods; those subtleties, I guess, simply got lost in my translation.
As I said in the onset of this review, this album is a strong addition to the shoegaze genre, but ultimately, didn’t succeed in making me a convert.
— By Erin Torrance, a recent Publishing graduate venturing into the world of music. Erin lives in a flea-market chic apartment in Toronto with the love of her life and best friend — her cat Bea.
