Trailer Trash Tracys: Althaea (Domino) Review

Trailer Trash Tracys

Althaea

Domino

Aug 01, 2017 Trailer Trash Tracys By Matt the Raven

Just as you can’t judge a book by its cover, you can’t judge a band by its name. The name here may conjure some form of raucous garage rock performed by beer swilling hillbillies, but all it takes is hearing one track of Trailer Trash Tracys’ sophomore album, Althaea, to realize it is anything but. Instead of rowdy, beer swilling tunes, the London duo of Susanne Aztoria and Jimmy Lee concoct a more wistful sound seemingly tailored to the exotic cocktail or champagne-loving crowd.

Trailer Trash Tracys employ a patchwork approach to songwriting using an array of instruments and musical styles, pasting together melodic fragments into spry songs that land somewhere between a less peculiar Flaming Lips and a less cluttered Tame Impala. But what sets them apart and gives them some originality is the cabaret-ish vocal stylings of Aztoria. Her sultry poetics add an eerie savoir faire reminiscent of Twin Peaks (the TV show, not the band).

A variety of percussive textures are added for pizzazz using marimbas, vibraphone, and xylosynth, giving each track a different flavor. Coupled with the unique blending of worldly rhythms, the songs contain enough animated rock elements and shifting beats to keep your ears contented, but none that really make a lasting impression.

Overall Althaea has enough interestingly entertaining music that is both curious and unique, if not somewhat disjointed, that should please fans of hazy indie pop. (www.trailertrashtracys.com)

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