No Snare [KLP217] is less a rejection of things that have been, as it a
reconfiguration. Take away the snare and there isn't loss, just a new
song. As we pass through the flood of moments that is our lives we
make a constant stream of decisions as to what to hold on to and
what to let go of. But - even as it changes radically - it is always our life.
It will be said that this new collection of songs from Tender Forever is a
departure, a turn away from an older sound. To say that wouldn't do
justice to the subtle transition of this album. Here we see a songwriter at
that most delicate moment of transformation. Holding on to some
things, letting go of others; always building a new world, looking
forward, looking back, always singing: ''I gave it all I got/Held onto
everything tight/I know I'm not coming back/I'm not erasing this track.''
Melanie Valera's third full length album moves away from some of the
more exuberant dance oriented songs of past years into a darker and
more melancholy direction. Maybe it's her current residence in the
damp and dirty Pacific Northwest, maybe its a little adulthood.
Whatever it is, we get a deeper, denser sound. These songs push
through the forest as the evening comes, dripping wet, the lights of a
little house up ahead. What No Snare retains is Valera's emotional
clarity and eloquence. We are always invited to her world, feeling
what she feels without exception. Valera keeps her lyrics light on their
feet, moving with ease around the complexities of her compositions,
her vocals rolling hard with the strength of conviction.
Throughout Tender Forever's work there is a commitment to
understanding feelings and desires and seeing them through to
completion. No Snare pushes through the wake and lays the turmoil to
rest. What comes next is still unknown. In this darkness of loss and
change there is a beat, a drive. Feel the shake from those little
computer speakers, hear it grow and pulse through the woods. Watch
as the evening comes and look toward the morning.
Tracklist
1. Got To Let Go
2. Like The Snare That's Gone
3. Only The Sounds You Made
4. Nothing At All
5. Day Number
6. But The Shape Is Wide
7. Nowhere Good Enough
8. Unfortunate Friends
9. When I'm In The Dark And You Take Away The Dark