LONELY DRIFTER KAREN – s/t

(10”, Fettkakao)

Tanja Frinta has chosen her stage name quite well for a handful of reasons. If memory serves me right, she was a member of critically acclaimed Austrian indie-band Holly May (a Mini-CD and an album on Trost-records that saw them shrinking from a quartett to a trio but rising in songwriting abilities and performance) who broke up unfortunately before striking it really big, though all around mentioned as the new big thing – or at least thing of seizeable proportion. Holly Mays roots in a band called Whymandrakes is also not forgotten, but musically very far from this here. I also remain the notion that it was Frinta, who opted for travelling Europe instead of sticking around in Vienna, but I might also only deduce this from her chosen stage name. Well, back from the past into the present, she has come back to Vienna, recorded some songs about two years ago, who have now been released. Wow, for all that I might know, she might be travelling the world again.

Anyway, the image of drifting in and out of places all by herself, also is a good one for the songs, into which she seems to fall and drift out of after a while for no big reason as well. Other than the song being present, which in itself is good enough as a reason in any way. The first song on this EP starts with a little recording trick (or is it my record needle doing strange things or is it just the pressing that has flaws?) of skipping and scratching and then “The pure heart sin” starts. And before you know what has happened, you are already in the middle of the chorus and realize that this song is beautiful. The other three songs are even more wonderful, by any account. Tanja Frinta’s voice wavers between playful fragility and stubborn will. Yeah, there is quite some power hidden in these tiny, sweet and mellow songs. Think of Björk doing songs in front of a bunch of children, not wanting to shock them. See, don’t be mislead by the surface.

The drifting imagery is even further enhanced by using field recordings of urban places somewhere to start off and end “Some summer days”. And maybe also that the monotony within the songwriting counterparted by melodies reflects the monotonous rhythm of travelling by train, bus, car or even on the back of horses, but that might be stretching it too far.

All four songs owe up to this structural limitation (well, is it one?) of suddenly starting and endring as abruptly. And also by not being to different in timing, speed and arrangement, which are basic bass and melody-lines from a cheap keyboard, guitarchords and strumming, a little drumming (from a machine) and of course Frinta’s voice. There has to be said something for the idea of doubling a voice by using two tracks. A little trick, but it enhances the range of the sound so much.

So, a lot of respect to Lonely Drifter Karen for putting out a four-song ten inch EP instead of a complete CD stocked full with 22 songs, because this way, this EP is a wonderful change and able to stand up in its unity, maybe even a necessity. If it had taken longer than 45 minutes, it would have started to get boring and dull. (Which means, in return, that for her next release, a full album hopefully nonetheless, she will have to think of some new tricks and ideas, to make it worthwhile.) It takes a lot of sense and sensibility to be able to restrict yourself this way.

On the other hand, a short EP with four very differing and varying songs is hardly a presentation of the artist’s vision, isn’t it? And if you like one of the songs on here, you sure will like the other three as well. I remember times, when all bands released in the first three years of their existence was one or two seven inch singles, with two, maximum three songs each. Which meant for the bands to hone their craft and find their true vision, before broadening up and working on that. Nowadays bands that haven’t left the town for a tour are releasing double-albums of remixes of their work, which takes either a lot of guts and self-confidence, or a big portion of ignorance and conceit. Maybe they are all the same in most cases anyway.

Leaving town obviously is no problem for Lonely Drifter Karen. Hopefully she’ll come back or find some time somewhere else, to pour her personal experiences into songs and onto tape for further release. Maybe at one point in time she’ll answer the question if it is really necessary to go a long way to find the beauty of small things, as it has been said, because relocating from your usual grounds sharpens your focus for common things. In your home territory the everyday things are so well known and don’t ever change, that if they really do, you don’t realize, because you just don’t see them anymore.