Little
Birdy's Katy Steele is the best thing to happen to Australian female
rock since the Divinyls' Chrissie Amphlette. And it's an interesting
comparison. As singers both take on the meat of the song, like a
lead instrument, requiring the actual instruments to flesh out the
song around them. Both specialize in songs about love and sex. Both
come over as obsessive, wired. There the comparison begins to end.
Chrissie Amphlette was more the physical embodiment of that, brazen,
confronting. Katy Steele lashes out but deals with the subtleties.
Katy not only drives the songs as the singer, she's also the songwriting
instigator. She lets us in on the fears as well as the lust. 'Big
Big Love' was good. 'Hollywood' is better. Katy has dared to go
further emotionally. The band is now more experienced in supporting
her, pushing her to the extremities. In 'Better Alone' she goes
to the edge of madness as she ponders the future of a relationship.
The whole album teeters on the brink. "Is this the end of you and
me?" she asks in 'Somebody New'. 'Come On Come On' and 'Set You
Alight' are filled with desire against the doubt. Every song has
something different to say, lyrically and musically, but they dovetail
together into a powerful, tuneful, slickly performed rock/pop album.
.
Little
Birdy's Katy Steele is the best thing to happen to Australian female
rock since the Divinyls' Chrissie Amphlette. And it's an interesting
comparison. As singers both take on the meat of the song, like a
lead instrument, requiring the actual instruments to flesh out the
song around them. Both specialize in songs about love and sex. Both
come over as obsessive, wired. There the comparison begins to end.
Chrissie Amphlette was more the physical embodiment of that, brazen,
confronting. Katy Steele lashes out but deals with the subtleties.
Katy not only drives the songs as the singer, she's also the songwriting
instigator. She lets us in on the fears as well as the lust. 'Big
Big Love' was good. 'Hollywood' is better. Katy has dared to go
further emotionally. The band is now more experienced in supporting
her, pushing her to the extremities. In 'Better Alone' she goes
to the edge of madness as she ponders the future of a relationship.
The whole album teeters on the brink. "Is this the end of you and
me?" she asks in 'Somebody New'. 'Come On Come On' and 'Set You
Alight' are filled with desire against the doubt. Every song has
something different to say, lyrically and musically, but they dovetail
together into a powerful, tuneful, slickly performed rock/pop album.
.