Herein Wild
Former Vivian Girls and Dum Dum Girls member Frankie Rose builds on the retro push of her solo debut, *Interstellar*, with a further exploration of what Brill Building girl-group pop sounds like when mixed up with ‘80s dance and synth textures. What would Ronnie Spector sound like fronting New Order? Somber, life-questioning lyrics occasionally poke out from the festive wall of sound, and there’s a not-so-gleeful sense to these well-constructed pop songs that brings depth to a song appropriately titled “The Depths.” In fact, “Sorrow” and “Into Blue” work a fascinating line of tension that in another era would’ve guaranteed alternative-hit status at college radio stations everywhere. Coproducer Michael Cheever assists Rose in developing the experimental-orchestral piece “Cliffs as High” and the modulating synth magic of “Minor Times.” The cover of The Damned’s “Street of Dreams” is a perfect recasting of goth magic with Rose’s female vocals altering the tenor of the song into a dreamlike state.
On last year's breakout solo collection Interstellar, Frankie Rose shifted from the character-driven garage-rock she helped create with Dum Dum Girls, Vivian Girls, and the Outs to romanticized, Reagan-era dream-pop. On her new album, Herein Wild, she tries to sound bigger and smaller at the same time.
Rose's sonic advancement doesn't smack you in the chops are much as it did on Interstallar, but there remain plenty of reasons to love its follow up.
Ex-Crystal Stilt, ex-Vivian Girl, and ex-Dum Dum Girl Frankie Rose releases her third album as a solo act, Herein Wild-40-odd minutes of bright and breezy dream pop with a bittersweet edge to it.
Review Of "Herein Wild" By Frankie Rose by Matt Dwyer. "Herein Wild" comes out on 9/24 via Fat Possum Records. The first single of the album is "Sorrow".