Rockbites: Violet Indiana’s delicate, dazzling debut

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May 2001 • Rockbites Alternative Daily

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Violet Indiana’s delicate, dazzling debut
8 May 2001

A couple of years ago, guitarist, producer, and Cocteau Twins founder Robin Guthrie received a request to produce some songs for ex-Mono vocalist and songwriter Siobhan (Americans: pronounce it shi-von') De Maré. The 39 year old Guthrie told us last week “...when we met, we realised that wouldn’t happen.” Business deals often don’t. Nonetheless, the two felt an instant and strong musical connection. Guthrie continued, “I just played guitar in the room with her and we just started recording... We both brought something special out in each other and that became Violet Indiana.”
    The new band debuted just over a year ago in Austin, Texas at the 2000 South By Southwest music festival, followed by a June show in London. In November they released their debut EP, Choke. And today for North America they release their first album.
    Titled Roulette—by the lyrics this is clearly a metaphor for 'relationship'—the set is lush, shimmering, poignant, and achingly beautiful. The words and vocals are all De Maré’s, while the music is hers and Guthrie’s together.
    You will not confuse Violet Indiana with Cocteau Twins—the new band is far more emotionally coherent and heart (rather than head) oriented—but the grand presentation will feel familiar. Other points of reference, although tenuous, might include Portishead and David Lynch collaborator/composer Angelo Badalamenti.
    Tracks for the Bella Union UK version of Roulette are Air Kissing, Feline Or Famine, Sundance, Powder River, Little Echo, Angel, Poison Gorgeous, Hiding, Rage Days, Liar, and Killer Eyes. In the US, the Instinct Records version includes all the UK tracks along with Busted, previously available on the Choke EP, plus a video of Purr La Perla. It also features a rather different track ordering.
    Downtempo and understated, dark and glittering, the songs on Roulette come as close to making heartache tangible as a record has a right to—perhaps more so. Four bites out of five.

Rockbites ratings  5: life changing, 4: stunning, 3: captivating, 2: amusing, 1: annoying.

Violet Indiana will tour the UK and Europe in June. The Bella Union Web site has samples and QuickTime videos for free download. You can hear RealAudio clips of all the US album tracks on the Instinct Records Web site. | Bella Union Records | | Cocteau Twins | | Cocteau Twins FAQ | | RealAudio clips from Instinct Records | | CD | | top of page |

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