Review: Marriages’ Kitsuné

Marriages: Kitsuné (Sargent House)

“Ride in My Place”

[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Marriages_Ride_in_My_Place.mp3|titles=Marriages: “Ride in My Place”]

Though their union is new, the members of Marriages are veterans of post-rock experimentation, and their self-titled debut challenges the very notion of the sub-genre.

Guitarist/vocalist Emma Ruth Rundle, bassist Greg Burns, and drummer Dave Clifford all spend time in Red Sparowes, a band that has pushed the boundaries of the loud-soft dynamic with an innovative use of pedal-steel guitar and subtle vocal textures. But Marriages is markedly different, built around Rundle’s intoxicating vocals and unconventional guitar style.

Rundle’s vocals — breathy and, at times, ghostly — benefit from a bit of traditional post-rock atmospherics. But they’re also joined by a subtle, deep effect, allowing her to harmonize with a nearly inaudible lower octave. One might compare the sound to PJ Harvey teaming up with Tool in 1995 to cover Mazzy Star — but you should skip comparison entirely, as Marriages isn’t quite like anything else.