Album title:
Summer Bloody Time
Artist:
Kat Vipers
Label:
Py Records
Kat Viper's mini-album 'Summer Bloody Time' was funded by the Arts Council (England), suggesting that it is as much a serious aesthetic statement as a means of popular entertainment. The explicitly feminist lyrics and manic piano make this a challenging listen - even Gershwin's standard Summertime is given a snarling re-working - but Kat Viper is a genuinely original musician. Stealing equally from jazz, punk and cabaret traditions, she performs with an exhilarating vigour, evolving the piano from a sedate accompaniment to a jagged, raging lead instrument. If she has echoes of 'To Bring You My Love' period PJ Harvey, this is less due to her gender than her willingness to explore a wide range of vocal scales and moods. Although unlikely to appeal to a mass market, fans of the Dresden Dolls or melodic experimentation will be delighted by her unique authenticity: string arrangements have never sounded so deadly. [Gareth K Vile]