Reviews
Artist:Ma Polaine’s Great Decline Album: Molecules
Label: OMH
Tracks: 10
Website: https://mapolaine.bandcamp.com/
With a name that suggests the surreal 60s imagery of a Buffalo Springfield or a Fairport Convention, Ma Polaine's Great Decline offer hypnotic, intoxicating music. Like the aforementioned bands, through a series of albums and eps they have successfully blended Country, Folk, Blues and Americana into an exciting something that is both old and new. Singer Beth Packer has one of the great voices, on "Jars" she moves easily from an intimate Mary Margaret O'Hara croon to old school full throated roar. Just listen to the way she flicks to the knowing conversational tone of 'there's more to love than what they'd have you know' and the huge notes in the chorus.
"River" features Clifton Hough's Rock n Roll meets Jazz guitar, precise and nimble lead and rhythm lines behind emotional Beth's vocals. These two elememts are the essential tensions in Ma Polaine's Great Decline. Seasoned drummer and listening musician Jimmy Norden is the perfect balance, on "Back When You Loved Me", "Jars" and "Alone" he is the model of atmospheric economy, dancing and accenting rather than dominating the choppy guitar and yearning vocal. "Say Goodbye" and "Blame It On Me" are big hitter Americana or Country break up song. Again Beth moves from understated to impassioned, drawing every nuance out of the lyrics. Hough's slide guitar also contributes a lot of emotion to "Say Goodbye".
There is also a touch of the Trip Hop Jazz Blues Portishead shimmering melancholy to Ma Polaine's Great Decline. "Audrey" with Mick Pini's ( another seasoned player) solid bass line drips menace, while the band whips up emotion. "Purple" continues the menace, with beautifully descriptive guitar and bass lines. Clifton and Nick flow perfectly behind Beth's wordless vocal and Jimmy's perfectly restrained brush work. There is a fine tension in "Angry One" between the raw rage of the words and the louping dance in the quartet's playing. There is a Radiohead fragile intimacy to the strummed guitar and voice intro to slow building "Molecules".
There is a savage late night last chance saloon beauty to Beth vamping on 'If we're already out of timelets make this moment last'. There is a magic in the words, music and atmosphere created by Ma Polaine's Great Decline. Both on record and live they deliver am intense, emotional and very real sound.
Marc Higgins
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Fatea Showcase Sessions
The Fatea Showcase Sessions are a series of downloads featuring acts that we've really enjoyed and think that more people should get the chance to hear.
Corsair is the current session and features 16 fantastic artists check out the website to find out more about them and download your copy
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