Wendy & Lisa and the R/evolution
So, some of you have heard me go on and on about Wendy & Lisa for some time now.
Former members of Prince's Revolution? True. Secret musical Illuminati? Definitely, if you count working with everyone from Seal to Soul Coughing, the Revolution to Bill Rieflin, Joni Mitchell to MeShell Ndegeocello, not to mention lil side projects with folks like Eric Clapton and Erykah Badu.
You think you don't know them, but you know their music. Seal's "Kiss From a Rose," comes on the radio? Singing along to k. d. lang's Invincible Summer? Watching Heroes and getting creeped out by the magnificent score? Yep - you're soaking in it.
I'm one of those geeky fans that likes all that. But I'm ultimately more interested in evolution than Revolution - which is why their albums as Wendy & Lisa are so intriguing to me. The first three albums emerged in a rapid post-Revolution fire of Wendy & Lisa (1987), Fruit at the Bottom (which, released in 1989, ought to be their "Mortified" entry), and Eroica (1990) -- the latter of which neatly presaged everything that you'd hear in every Lilith Fair artist in the wake of its release, but was released just too early for its time. Due to some mix-ups with producer Trevor Horn, and the shelving of the 1994 Friendly Fire recordings, another album wasn't released until 1998.
And that's when true evolution began. Released in the wake of Jonathan Melvoin's overdose (while on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins), 1998's Girl Bros. is a self-produced song cycle of love and loss - more raw, minimally produced, and mature than the labels were willing to put out previously.
After ten years of scoring and sidework, Wendy & Lisa have finally released a new album. And this one is . . . dare I say, evolved? Digging deep into the dirt of life -- including the breakup of their own romnatic relationship -- Wendy & Lisa have released an album that brings together their immense musical talents with a strong, solid knack for songwriting. The last few years of scoring (particularly on Crossing Jordan and Heroes) have translated into a strong new talent for narrative songwriting. More than any of their previous work, White Flags of Winter Chimneys is written as a full arc, opening with the tender, warm "Balloon," carrying through the summer punk of "Salt & Cherries [MC5]" and "Niagra Falls" and then slowly back again in a cycle of loss to the almost-but-not-quite-shark-jumping orchestral "Sweet Suite".
It's beautiful. It's mature. And it's actually teaching me a little about life.
From a Wendy & Lisa album. Who knew?
-- Katrina Alliasan 2009
Due to the powers of the interweb, and the grace of uber-manager Renata K., you can listen and see for yourself using the widget behind the cut. If you have time for nothing else, check out the extremely creepy "Ever After" and rock out with your astral cock out to "Salt & Cherries [MC5]". On the latter: I mean you, Joan Jett fans. ;-)
For those of you who got an accidental sneak peek via your flist earlier - my apologies. I didn't realize this would auto-play. Now that the widget is behind a cut, you should be safe.
Thanks, Renata!