Mountains sounds a lot like
Cocteau Twins circa 1993's
Four-Calendar Café, which makes sense when you notice that
Robin Guthrie produced it.
Guthrie, who really ought to be a Sir by now, was guitarist and mastermind of that celebrated cult band's (and
Violet Indiana's) ethereal exquisiteness, as well as producer of the mysterious
Lush,
Chapterhouse,
Felt, and others. In the classically beautiful Los Angelino
Annie Barker, he clearly recognizes a kindred spirit to his ex,
Cocteau siren
Liz Fraser. A bountifully talented singer with lovely pipes that sound uncannily like her inspiration,
Barker is excellent when whipping up that sphinx-like, layered-cloud-of-sound dream pop mystique that
Guthrie's band birthed. She occasionally becomes too mannered, more analogous to so-so, more commercial
Cocteau successors
the Sundays and
the Cranberries. But otherwise, like similarly sharp '90s
Cocteau-heads Alison's Halo and Orange, the gleaming guitars, babbling bass, and processed voice prove splendiferous. ~ Jack Rabid