Freaky Friday Freeview: Frankie Rose + Perfume Genius

This week I am back with new releases from Frankie Rose and Perfume Genius!

FRANKIE ROSE
Interstellar
[Slumberland]

On her second full-length for indie veteran label Slumberland, Brooklyn's Frankie Rose is finally ready to stand alone. She's dropped her backing band, the Outs, as well as the fuzzed-out guitars and veiling reverb that were so characteristic of her earlier releases. Instead, what we get is Interstellar, a much more personal album on many levels. Full of lush, delicately arranged tracks that put her clean, sparkling guitar and vocal melodies in the forefront, Rose is no longer shy about showcasing her shining, dreamy voice, literally and metaphorically. On buoyant tracks like "The Fall" and "Night Swim," there's no hiding behind a wash of jingle-jangle noisy garage pop, and that, more than anything else, really shows her growth as both an artist and a talented songwriter. Rose is no longer a former Vivian Girl, Dum Dum Girl or Crystal Stilts member and, on Interstellar, she makes a point to show it. More romantic and atmospheric than any of her previous efforts, the constant vocal and guitar layering among airy synths and uplifting drumbeats is beautiful and interesting, guiding the listener to a spectral escape by way of '80s pop. Thanks to the production help from Le Chev (remixer for Lemonade, Narcisse and Passion Pit), Frankie Rose creates a style of sound that is both indebted to the old and feels uniquely new -- it's almost as if she envisioned a cinematic soundscape suggestive of a meeting between Cocteau Twins and Arthur Russell. It's definitely highly recommended listening in my book, especially in the dim twilight whilst slow dancing in your Moonboots -- what, you don't do that too?

Have a listen to Know Me and Night Swim

PERFUME GENIUS
Put Your Back N 2 It
[Matador]

Back in 2010, Mike Hadreas crept up from his bedroom with a handful of songs he wrote at his mother's home during a dark time of drug and drink recovery. Such was the creative birth of our troubled Perfume Genius, ultimately occasioned by the release of his introspective debut album Learning, which documented those times of personal torment. As gorgeously heartfelt as that record was, it was equally somber and depressive; I don't think I was able to play it more than once in a day. Now, with his sophomore release, Hadreas has put his energies into making an album that you can actually listen to for a long time without ultimately leaving you feeling awkward and uncomfortable. Even the title Put Your Back N 2 It lends a bit of comic relief to the entire Perfume Genius aesthetic -- not that the tracks are at all silly. With his haunting, plaintive piano guiding these sparse chamber-rock arrangements, Hardeas continues to remind us of his sincerity by touching on such emotionally heavy topics as secrecy, family and intimacy. At the same time, the record carries a glimmer of hope, whereas before Hardeas presented his life as one big dark room. There's a bit more familiarity and outside touchstones apparent as well, with some songs recalling an occasional hint of Elliott Smith, Conor Oberst and even Antony (and his Johnsons). As a songwriter Hardeas is certainly not embarrassed to share tales from his uneasy world, and he here makes a genuine, unflinching delivery with his second record.

Have a listen to Normal Song and Dark Parts

For more of this week's new releases check out Other Music update.