AROAH
[esp]
The last laugh (Acuarela)
If we were to make the most of the cultural momentum, we could say that “The Last Laugh” is back to the basics for Aroah. Strangely enough, is only young Irene Tremblay’s second LP and figures as her fourth record, including a beautiful debut-EP and a split with the fabulous Nacho Vegas. The truth is this girl from Madrid -Spanish father and American mother- has always been one step ahead from the rest -her first six songs were elected as the best national EP in 2001 several magazines in Spain. Touring half of Europe with Manta Ray, acting live with Retsin, Tristeza, Migala and Labradford, performing a few times in France, doing a VPRO session, and featuring in such renowned festivals as Tanned Tin and Benicassim International Festival…In fact, a great part of what we see in her last work could well stem from Irene’s last tour, hand in hand -both around Spain and the USA- with melancholic genius Greg Weeks. The tour provided the grounding for the recording during July and August 2003 in Eperhaus, Philadelphia, of this “The Last Laugh”, which was produced by Weeks and counted on the collaboration of a series of North American musicians.
This change, added to Irene’s pursuit of her own song writing essentials,
has to be the reason why the new compositions strike by their direct classicism.
Although she was once aligned with emotional snipers such as Mark Kozelek,
Julie Doiron and Catpower, it’s now more heterogeneous references –
rather than influences - that we’re looking at: artists such as Joni
Mitchell, Townes Van Zandt, May Timony and Tara Jane O´Neal, but also
standard melodies and vocal jazz figures; guitarists such as Leo Kottke, and
even blues’ masters such as Memphis Minnie. Irene sweetens her vibrato
and achieves a perfect tuning; special sound effects (bass guitars, cellos
and nervous chords, flutes and pedal steel) wait for her to stop singing before
realising their prescribed duties, thus leaving a wise space for vocals and
lyrics that talk about pride and lies, lost love and the sincere brutality
of desire, solitude and hope.
Throughout the solemnity of “Vigo” and the folk skeleton of “Autobiographical
Rhyming Song”, the intensity of “Horoscope” and delicate
“The Lonely Drunk”, and even during the almost virtuous “Amused”,
timing remains precise and special effect doses are exactly right. “Madrid”,
“Y La Cinta De Los Bingueros”, and “Fuck Rock” are
wrapped in the atmospheric sweetness of flute music, and highlight the warmth
of genuinely basic country folk. It’s only in random moments of passionate
intensity (at the beginning of “An Orchid”, during the dramatic
chords and feedback of “Sick In The Body, Sick In The Head” and
“Too Proud To Try”, and the atmospheric effects in “Schooling”)
that acoustic guitar leadership is challenged by musical density. Stating
the obvious, “The Last Laugh” is Aroah’s best album to date,
and will remain so till her next songs’ collection. “Without the
pretending – just lust…stronger than love – stronger than
love”, she sings on “Katharine Says”. For sure, she laughs
the last.
Discography :
The Last Laugh (Acuarela, 2004)
No Podemos Ser Amigos (Acuarela, 2002)
Seis Canciones Desde El Norte EP (Acuarela, 2001)
Cuando termines con todo, habra terminado contigo (Acuarela, 2001)