Over the course of almost two decades, Meg Remy has turned U.S. Girls into one of the most critically-acclaimed and intriguing indie projects of recent times. Her enigmatic, experimental pop style and vivid songwriting have won many admirers, but ‘Scratch It’ represents something of a curveball.
Remy’s ninth studio album was recorded in just 10 days and mixed to tape, abandoning computer-based production in favour of smooth, elegant art-pop with a more live feel than her other work. It’s another solid outing, but not one without its misgivings.
‘Scratch It’ blends a range of genres, from country to gospel to disco, into the one coherent sound, which is both a positive and a negative.
Several of its tracks scream out for a little more bite, while its finest moments reveal themselves slowly, and therefore only to those with the patience to give it multiple listens (the temptation, at first, is to not do so).
Like James Said is a dancefloor-friendly nod to James Brown and does a fantastic job getting things off the ground: its chorus chant of “Pose, groove / Stretch, move” leaves little doubt about the song’s intention.
Dear Patti then reflects on Remy’s experiences sharing a festival bill with her hero Patti Smith. It’s a beautiful song, aided by Dillon Watson’s wonderful country-tinged guitar playing, but the record’s highpoint is Bookends.
The sprawling 12-minute ballad pays tribute to Remy’s late friend and Power Trip frontman Riley Gale. A meandering exploration of loss that twists and turns; a mid-song instrumental features harmonicas and organs combining into something exquisite.Later, No Fruit adds some of that desired grit.
There’s plenty to like about ‘Scratch It’ — it begins and ends with a bang, while Bookends is simply stunning. The rest? Well, it’ll make you work before letting you in. So, while you can’t fault the musicianship, a little more bluntness would be welcome.
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