Sister Vanilla - Little Pop Rock

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 4 / 4 / 2007

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Review

Sister Vanilla was interviewed twice by Pennyblackmusic way back in 2002 to plug this release, and now at last in 2007 we finally get a UK release for this album which has previously been released only in Australia and Japan. And it doesn’t disappoint at all… Sister Vanilla is Linda Reid , little sister to the Jesus and Mary Chain's Jim and William Reid, whom have finally got back together and will be playing a set of dates later this year in America, Spain and Scotland. ‘Little Pop Rock' was written by all three Reids, whom also play on it too. It starts off with ‘Pastel Blue’, Linda's ode to the Pastels, her favourite ever Scottish band. It isn’t, however, the electric version released a few years ago that features Stephen Pastel, but instead an acoustic number that is sung in the style of a young Nico. ‘Jamcolas’ sounds more like hard rocking Jesus and Mary Chain. Both Jim and William sing verses, and Linda adds her vocals much later on in the track giving it a classy Lee and Nancy feel. ‘Slacker’ is another acoustic number with a lead vocal from Linda and recalls Mazzy Star. ‘Delicat’ features William Reid and is reminiscent of the Velvet Underground. ’Can’t Stop the Rock’ is a lo-fi duet between William and Linda, while ‘Kissaround’ is a jazz beat number. “What Goes Around’ was also performed by Freeheat, Jim’s follow-up band to the JAMC, and sounds exactly like a female-fronted Jesus and Mary Chain. ‘K to Be Lost’ name drops various Jesus and Mary Chain songs, while ‘Angel’, which sounds like a lo-fi Jesus and Mary Chain, is co-sung by Jim. ‘Down’, which also features Jim, is pleasant and very poppy, while ‘TOTP’ is much more experimental, modern avant garde at its best. It ends with 'The Two of Us', a familiar Sister Vanilla track which actually sounds better live and which, a duet sung by Jim and Linda, was also recorded by Freeheat. It ends a great album, even if we did have to wait several years for it.

Track Listing:-

1 Pastel Blue
2 Jamcolas
3 Slacker
4 Delicat
5 Can't Stop The Rock
6 Kissaround
7 What Goes Around
8 K To Be Last
9 Angel
10 Down
11 Totp
12 The Two Of Us