Far too many bands utilize the human voice in one of two ways: to get a message across -- whereby meaning trumps sound -- or as an instrument in and of itself -- whereby sound trumps meaning. But
Mecca Normal's
Jean Smith, who is also a novelist, has stories to tell and the instantly arresting means to get them across. In that sense, she's a bit like
Sleater-Kinney's
Corin Tucker -- but with even more of an edge -- and with a greater emphasis on folk than rock & roll. At times on
The Family Swan, as in the song "What About the Boy," she comes across more like a punk poet than a singer (à la '70s-era
Patti Smith); on others, as in "In January," her voice is as much an instrument as partner David Lester's eclectic electric guitar (à la
Laurie Anderson or
Sheila Chandra at their most avant-garde). Either way, she's always impassioned, never complacent -- even after over 20 years "on the job" (as it were). This can make for an uneasy, unsettling experience -- like reading a book by Virginia Woolf instead of
Jane Austen or watching a movie by Catherine Breillat instead of Nora Ephron -- but a richly rewarding experience for the more adventurous, open-minded listener. ~ Kathleen C. Fennessy