Lois Maffeo
(+ Brendan Canty)
The Union Themes
(Kill Rock Stars)
Lois refers to herself as one of the "wimp rock" performers from the usually noisy
Pacific Northwest and Kill Rock Stars label. I think I prefer "quieter." Fans of
Michele Shocked or Mary Lou Lord could do much worse than picking up the fifth full-length from
a divine Ms. M. A short, barely 30 minutes, stiletto-sharp cycle of songs about the theme of love
(get it? "union"). Longtime Lois producer, Brendan Canty, left his trademark ship's bell from
Fugazi's drum kit behind to augment her acoustic sound and crystal voice with piano, bass and
electric guitars and simple brush work on the skins. That fuller sound gives a richer texture
to the heartfelt stories declaimed here. In no time, the Union Themes has become my
favorite Lois album. Love may be blind, but no one is pulling the wool over the eyes of the
narrator in "Being Blind." "Oh lover can't you see/What's that expression?/Better
her than me," Lois sings. "I won't be around/To see what you do," she continues.
The heroine of "You Love Your Wounds" thinks she is "lying on a bed full of
roses" but her "back is cut to ribbons." The mid-tempo beat and soaring chorus
belie the harsh reality of women who are battered and too often stay. Wishing you could take back words already said, not knowing what you've got
until it's gone, what to do when the thrill is gone. These are the familiar capsules of what's
difficult about the personal side of life. If only this album didn't go by so fast.
Rating: 7
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