Polly Scattergood - Other Too Endless

by Anthony Strutt

published: 9 / 2 / 2009

Label: Mute Records
Format: CDS

Haunting third single from rising star Polly Scattergood, whose music in the tradition of Tori Amos, Kate Bush, PJ Harvey and Bjork

Review

Polly Scattergood is a young and very pretty blonde with a massive talent and a lovely voice which she certainly knows how to use. 'Other Too Endless' is her third single. The title track appears in two versions here. The first version here is an edit. It has a strong vocal and a backing which builds up gradually. A song to get your head moving without too much effort, it has quite a fast pace and is a track that carries on in the tradition of Tori Amos, Kate Bush, PJ Harvey and Bjork. The second version, a Vince Clarke remix, is a dance mix ,which quite typical of her label Mute's remixes, is more in the line of a Kylie-style club anthem. 'Crystal Breaks', the other track on the single,starts off as a stripped down number and is about drinking too much. Polly sounds fragile here, but very much in command of her voice. This is only the first half of the song, as it soon breaks into territory that is very haunting and reminiscent of PJ Harvey. Polly's vocal shakes you to the bone, and there are edgy electronic and guitar effects which could have come from Crazy Horse in another world.