|
Two individual voices make up the collaborative effort known as Vermillion Lies. Back in December I shared some thoughts on Zoe Vermillion's solo CD, "Shoestrings". Recently I've had the pleasure to experience Kim Vermillion's EP, "First the Bees..."
It's striking to me how two distinct artists can share so much common ground and yet clearly come from different points of view. Seeing the two in concert and they are truly *in concert*, it's hard to imagine them as separate performers. That's why these CD EPs are so nice, they act as intriguing bookends/footnotes to the the "What's in the Box" album.
The fist track on "First the Bees..." could have easily been slipped onto the last Vermillion Lies recording. "The Organ Donor's March" is in a similar vein to that CD's opener "Grandfather", as it is both sinister and sweet. But the "... March" is also sexy and coy in telling it's tale of the unexpected side effects of a heart transplant. It's a nice place for fans of Vermillion Lies to start.
The four other songs this collection transform the first track's sexy vibe into something that can only be called sultry. She can continue to be playful ("More and More") or move on to darker material ("The Day We Met"), but her heart seems to be on the line with each of these songs. This just plays to her strong suits.
At her core Kim a classic singer/piano player. She's at her best when she's upfront, when she's open and revealing. She's not alone on this CD, Matthias Bassi, Murray Campbell and Myles Boisen all lend a hand, but they're here to emphasis and accent Kim. We can hear her longing, feel her desire... and we can smile at her insights. That's the key to the chanteuse set up: it's focus is on one person and we can empathize with an individual. Especially in affairs of the heart. We've all been on assort sides in affairs of the heart, and while Kim's stories may not exactly match ours we can feel the echoes of our lives in her tales. That's what a good songwriter does, and a good songwriter is what Kim is.
Any fan of sexy, smart, strange women who play piano would only be doing themselves a favor by giving "First the Bees..." some of their time.
--
Kim Vermillion
http://www.myspace.com/mikvermillion
The Sepiachord review of Vermillion Lies "What's in the Box"
|
