Lana Mir- Lana Mir
Jazz-pop is one of the sub genres that create nightmarish visions. Visions of lounge piano, pretentious seriousness and the dreaded Radio 2 playlist. Lana Mir does nothing to escape these clichés.
Her Ukranian background is being pushed to the fore, but an interesting backdrop can only do so much to cover musical stylings so bland they make Katie Melua look like Aphex Twin. She lists her influences as Bjork, Portishead and Marianne Faithfull, but quite where these diverse influences hide on her debut album is unknown.
Far closer as an influence is Blue-era Joni Mitchell, Mir sharing a vocal range that stretches from damaged baritone to vulnerable and airy. What she lacks in comparison is any kind of conviction- Mitchell’s appeal lies in the way she describes her pain, how everything she sings of feels so real. Lana Mir, based on this evidence, doesn’t possess any of that.
The point is that this isn’t necessarily a BAD album, just one that feels entirely forgettable and meaningless. Her cover of the Stone Roses’ classic I Wanna Be Adored (surely one of those songs that no one should be allowed near) is the clearest example of this. Lacking any of the cocky self-assuredness that makes the original such a classic, here Mir singing “I don’t have to sell my soul/it’s already in me” isn’t even vaguely convincing, sounding more like she’s going through the motions. An entirely futile cover version.
There are a few memorable moments on the record. Opener Say You Need Me, is beautifully laid back and summery, whilst Beautiful Day carries a Beatles-ish acoustic vibe, save for turgid lyrics questioning, “Isn’t life beautiful? Don’t be scared because I’m not at all...” Mir’s backing band do their level best to push things a bit further on the likes of Tears Are Not Enough (electronic drum taps and ambient noise) and Goodbye Girl (bossa nova rhythms giving the tiniest hint of an ability to break away from that jazz-pop template, all too fleetingly).
Mostly though, Lana Mir is being pushed as the star and, sadly, she is nowhere near as interesting enough to carry these songs.
2 out of 5
Jazz-pop is one of the sub genres that create nightmarish visions. Visions of lounge piano, pretentious seriousness and the dreaded Radio 2 playlist. Lana Mir does nothing to escape these clichés.
Her Ukranian background is being pushed to the fore, but an interesting backdrop can only do so much to cover musical stylings so bland they make Katie Melua look like Aphex Twin. She lists her influences as Bjork, Portishead and Marianne Faithfull, but quite where these diverse influences hide on her debut album is unknown.
Far closer as an influence is Blue-era Joni Mitchell, Mir sharing a vocal range that stretches from damaged baritone to vulnerable and airy. What she lacks in comparison is any kind of conviction- Mitchell’s appeal lies in the way she describes her pain, how everything she sings of feels so real. Lana Mir, based on this evidence, doesn’t possess any of that.
The point is that this isn’t necessarily a BAD album, just one that feels entirely forgettable and meaningless. Her cover of the Stone Roses’ classic I Wanna Be Adored (surely one of those songs that no one should be allowed near) is the clearest example of this. Lacking any of the cocky self-assuredness that makes the original such a classic, here Mir singing “I don’t have to sell my soul/it’s already in me” isn’t even vaguely convincing, sounding more like she’s going through the motions. An entirely futile cover version.
There are a few memorable moments on the record. Opener Say You Need Me, is beautifully laid back and summery, whilst Beautiful Day carries a Beatles-ish acoustic vibe, save for turgid lyrics questioning, “Isn’t life beautiful? Don’t be scared because I’m not at all...” Mir’s backing band do their level best to push things a bit further on the likes of Tears Are Not Enough (electronic drum taps and ambient noise) and Goodbye Girl (bossa nova rhythms giving the tiniest hint of an ability to break away from that jazz-pop template, all too fleetingly).
Mostly though, Lana Mir is being pushed as the star and, sadly, she is nowhere near as interesting enough to carry these songs.
2 out of 5
Essential Tracks:
Say You Need Me
Goodbye Girl
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