Lenka releases her self titled debut on June 29th, throwing her hat into the ring with the current crop of female singer/songwriters there have already been comparisons to Regina Spektor and Bjork. Quite frankly I find myself asking “what the fuck are these people listening to?”. I’ll grant you this effort has an astounding desire to sound like both and yes, there are similarities in the fact that all three are women who open and close their mouths and make sounds.
However that kids is where the similarity ends. Both Spektor and Bjork deliver their wares without any of the forced sensibilities that are on offer here. Both have a sense of the natural maverick about them, it is displayed in both their songwriting and delivery. Lenka and her team meanwhile have been watching from some top secret pop bunker looking to distill the elements that make both aforementioned artists special.
As a consequence we have eleven songs here which are all delivered in that contrived “look at me I’m gently exploring my own vocal capability…don’t I sound childlike” manner, served upon beds of light lilting (decidedly average) pop melodies. The people at the top really must think their audience to be as thick as pigshit if they are going to fall for this.
It’s the musical equivalent of taking a sheet of tin foil, tearing it into little pieces and sticking it to each and every one of your fillings.
Wrong.
