Christabel – INTUITION (13th Floor Album Review)
Auckland’s Christabel is a neurodiverse artist whose music is dynamic, lyrically captivating, raw and unfiltered…or so we’re told. We sent The 13th Floor’s Mr. Stevens the album and the “deck”. This is what he sent back…
This came to me as a private stream, along with a deck. I was told that I should pay attention to Christabel’s mission, contained in said deck. I didn’t expect the depth and thoughtfulness I’d find there. Somehow the lengthy explanations of what’s going on with the songs are less of an explanation, and more of an expression of ecstatic becoming that accompany them. I’m reminded of the experience of pouring over mysterious gatefold album sleeves, looking for clues. The whole thing: the songs and the deck, say so much and yet one is still left with a sense of mysticism. This is great art.
Shame is a Colour
Beautifully recorded beautiful voice. Voice forward as it should be when you’re working with this kind of quality, the instrumentation is thoughtfully sparse; nothing is over-done and the song is full. There is nowhere else anything could be or should be. It is gentle and strong, soothing and raw.
Contrarian
This is well thought out pop, well written and lyrically intelligent. I’m reminded of that great album Zazu by Rosie Vela from 1986, a bit, enough. Christabel doesn’t have Steely Dan backing her, but what she’s done with this has the best of now about it. I was encouraged by the notes saying that contrarianism isn’t opposition for the sake of opposition. This track is far from Sophistry.
Bruise
Great groove, Clint Eastwood backbeat going on. In a very good way, this song should win Eurovision! Can Christabel enter? We should start a petition! The key and chord structure belie a pretty serious subject I feel. This is a person with exquisite pop sensibility telling us she has claws, and how it feels not to use them. Again, extremely well recorded and uncluttered production.
Where was your Love
Co-written by ‘Tyran’ or a duet with him? The product of a West Auckland writing group, now we have a lower-register vocal and a lovely soulful country ballad. Not my cup of tea, but a lovely sounding thing showing great versatility and musicality. Vocally rich and thoughtfully produced.
Bye The Way
Do I hear the actual sound of the keys being played? I do hope so. This is real. Kate Bush sings the Delta Blues. A gem of a song.
Last One Standing
A Waltz to an oh-so-common and much misunderstood experience. I have the advantage of having the deck, so I know full well that what I’m hearing in the lyrics, really is what’s there. I should leave it to Christabel to explain publicly if she wants to, I get it. It’s not over-done, beautifully sung and played once again.
Done For
The first one I can’t really get on with, mostly due to the auto-tune on the vocal. She doesn’t need to do this. However, it’s lyrically and structurally the most obvious, and formulaic song so far, but still a fine example of its genre.
Good Man
Back to the vocal performance that’s been such a feature, the story songwriting, recording and production. This song is a relief in the sense that it’s good to hear that Christabel feels this way about another person. I was worried!
After the War
Oh that’s clever, what is that behind the melody of the vocal? Is it a vocoder? BIG production and instrumentation this time and it’s glorious. Christabel seems to be able to take any genre she delves into and make the finest of examples thereof.
Freedom
Another 3:4 dance through the emotions, this feels like it was written on acoustic guitar, which features. Then off into a delightful skip through a meadow of orchestral loveliness. Excellently handled vocal multitracking and harmonies. Nothing overdone yet again. The cut off is just so!
Contrarian! (sped up)
… and now it’s another Eurovision banger! How do you do this? I suspect with this one, Christabel is making the point she starts the deck with. She can do this. SO THERE!
Mr. Stevens
INTUITION is out now.
