Tracey Thorn - Love And Its Opposite

I like Tracey Thorn and Everything But The Girl for the most part. Her partner (both domestically and in EBTG) Ben Watt and she have made some beautiful music over the last 20 years. I enjoyed their middle post-Style Council/pre-Todd Terry blow-up period the most, especially the Acoustic record, a whole bunch. I've never really enjoyed the band that much live, which has worked out well for the JS-NYC and EBTG franchises, as Thorn and Watt's domestic duties have kept the live band on blocks in recent years.

I was pleased to find that Merge was releasing Love and It's Opposite stateside (it's on Watt's Strange Feeling label overseas). I haven't really been head over heels about most of the new Merge signings, but their signing of bands like American Music Club, Karl Hendricks Trio/Rock Band and Teenage fanclub displays the beauty and balance that Mac and Laura have cultivated over there. That said, Arcade Fire still kinda suck. Suffice to say they must be glad that Decemberists are around to distract the spotlight of horribility from shining directly on them, having seen their mercurial NPR/Pitchfork fanbase abandon them for some new mediocre band.

Love And Its Opposite is a body of songs unified by a theme of divorce. Worry not for the EBTG, as the songs aren't based on firsthand experience (or so they say). Thorn has gained somewhere between a different and an expanded fanbase since she and Watt have been increasing influenced by electronic music. There are a couple tracks that have a bit of that underpinning, but the record is pretty organic for the most part. There are a number of remixes in the works, most of which are due to be released on a Buzzin' Fly single. To offset such things, you can also grab yourself a bonus cd of demo tracks called The Berlin Demos. In the states, you can get the tracks digitally through Merge. Look out for a Ron Sexsmith cover on iTunes, too. When you are straight or gay, married or not, there is much to be said for Love And Its Opposite. Pick it up from Merge via this handy link and keep track of all things Thorny here.

R