Marry Me

From the warbly, wobbly opening of “Now, Now,” it’s apparent that multi-instrumentalist and singer Annie Clark is serving up something unusual. After warming her chops with the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Polyphonic Spree, and the very respectable composer/musician Glenn Branca, Clark takes flight on her own as St. Vincent. The solid and impressive \"Marry Me\" billows and bows with saw-toothed guitars, swelling strings, grand pianos and playful background choirs, to name but a few musical directions taken here. An undercurrent of contemporary classical ethos runs through much of the set — with echoes of jazz and cabaret — showing a skilled and disciplined musician at work, driven perhaps by cinematic visions or prolific daydreaming. Clark’s voice is a treasure, favoring a straightforward, completely unadorned delivery (no trace of reverb here!), accompanied by a clear-eyed, unblinking stare. Singing “Marry me John, I’ll be so good to you,” Clark manages something just short of a command; it’s a solid promise, a bit of a threat, and nothing like a plea.