VIMTV Album Review #402: St. Vincent – Strange Mercy

Jake: 85/100

Tom: 77/100

Verdict: Recommended for anyone who enjoys darker indie-pop with noisy guitars and thick beats.

Overview: Strange Mercy shows Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent) taking the guitar- and beat-driven baroque pop of 2009′s Actor and kicking it up a notch. These tracks are dark, moody, and enthralling, with a flow that makes the album feel like more of a complete statement than anything she’s done in the past. It certainly isn’t a perfect album– there’s a fair share of weaker tracks and less engaging moments. But overall, Strange Mercy is another success from a rising musician that you’ll want to keep your eyes on.

Jake’s Track Picks: 

• 1. Chloe In The Afternoon
• 2. Cruel
• 3. Cheerleader
• 4. Surgeon
• 9. Dilettante

Tom’s Track Picks: 

• 2. Cruel
• 5. Northern Lights
• 8. Champagne Year

VIMTV Research Links:

• Strange Mercy Lyrics
• Strange Mercy on Wikipedia
• St. Vincent’s Website

Cruel

Chloe In The Afternoon

St. Vincent Interview

VIMTV Episode #113: St. Vincent – Actor

Jake: Recommended, 86/100

Tom: Recommended, 91/100

Overview: St. Vincent is the expert at making creepy, bombastic and utterly beautiful music exemplified on her second release, Actor.  After a few listens, this one will weird you out in a really good way.  Definitely a must-listen.

Recommended Similar Artists: The Dirty Projectors, The Arcade Fire, Regina Spektor

Jake’s Track Picks: 

• 4. Actor Out of Work
• 6. Laughing with a Mouth Full of Blood
• 9. The Party

Tom’s Track Picks: 

• 2. Save Me From What I Want
• 3. The Neighbors
• 4. Actor Out of Work
• 7. Marrow

VIMTV Research Links:

• St. Vincent Actor Website
• Wikipedia – St. Vincent
• St. Vincent – Actor reviews at Metacritic
• St. Vincent – MySpace
• St. Vincent Lyrics

St. Vincent plays “Marrow” on Letterman