Lost Girls - Lost Girls

by Anthony Strutt

published: 18 / 1 / 2015

Label: 3 Loopmusic
Format: CD X2

Fabulous double CD from the Lost Girls, which, featuring the Kitchens of Distinction's Patrik Fitzgerald and singer-songwriter Heidi Berry, was recorded in the late 1990s but has only finally been released now

Review

The Lost Girls were formed by Patrik Fitzgerald, then ex-Kitchens of Distinction and solo artist Heidi Berry, who had been signed to both Creation Records and then 4AD, towards the end of the 1990s. As a live unit, they were joined by former Loft and Weather Prophets drummer Dave Morgan, bassist Kim Smith and guitarist Ashley Wood. At the time the Lost Girls only released one single, 'Needle's Eye/A Reason to Live', which was released on the Bad Parents label. I interviewed Patrik around this time, but Heidi, who also appeared on This Mortal Coil's album 'Blood', didn't play live with them when I saw the Lost Girls at the Arts Café in London. So, fifteen years later, we finally get to hear the fruits of their labour as well as the resurrection of the Kitchens Of Distinction who reformed in 2012. 'The Lost Girls' is a great album that needs more ears to open up to its sounds, which are spread over two albums, the first featuring what was planned for the original album and the second an album of extras and demos. The tracks collected here are a departure from what you would expect from either artist. 'All Fall Away' opens 'The Lost Girls' with a Berry vocal, which is eerie in its similarity to Sandy Denny. 'NYC' is in contrast very loud, a call to arms, which, featuring Patrik on lead vocals, recalls the Cult. 'Japanese' is a moody, slow waltz, sung by Heidi, which, like a flickering candle in the cellar, gives hope in the darkness. 'Hold Me Down' has more of a jangly feel, and, sung by both Patrik and Heidi, has a summertime vibe and is a total joy. 'Hovercrafts', which is gently sung by both, rocks in a laid back fashion, while 'Abduction' is beautifully arranged and complex with a massive sound. 'Forgiven' is very slow and elegant, like a drawn out All About Eve. 'Opiated Self Help Song', which features a Patrik vocal, has a swagger to it. It almost sounds like a bar room jig and is a great drinking song. 'Needle's Eye', the A side of the band's only single, is eerie with a vocal from Heidi that would send shivers down even the hardest of Kate Bush fans spine, while the next track, 'A Reason to Live, it's B side, is upbeat and full of the joys of life. 'Seen Before', the last track on the first CD, is unlike anything else on the album, and has touches of loud trip hop. The second CD opens with 'Walk Like Giants', which merges a 60's influence with a lightweight dance groove. 'All Fall Away' reappears as a demo, which is much slower in sound, while 'Hold Me Down', again in demo, recollects the Kitchens of Distinction, and is fresh, bubbly and acoustic with some lovely backing harmonies from Heidi backing up Patrik's lead vocal. 'Folk Fuck' is an industrial number, with Heidi doing her best Yoko Ono impression screaming down the microphone. 'Mountaineers' is a lush duet, and is a song that would fill a stadium full of lit lighters. The demo of 'Forgiven' is softly played and gentle. The 'Opiated Self Help' demo is also naked in comparison to its other version, and, stripped of its swagger, the lyrics also shine much brighter. 'Bathing Song' is a classic Celtic folk song, while the keyboard-based 'Deja Vu' is reminiscent of Massive Attack. 'Lost Girls', the title track. ends the album, and, sung as a late night lullaby, is rich and thick. It is a great shame that it has taken fifteen years for this album to be released. 'Lost Girls' is definitely a lost treasure.

Track Listing:-

1 All Fall Away
2 NYC
3 Japanese
4 Hold Me Down
5 Hovercrafts
6 Abduction
7 Forgiven
8 Opiated Self-Help Song
9 Needle's Eye
10 A Reason to Live
11 Seen Before
12 Walk Like Giants
13 All Fall Away (Demo Version)
14 Hold Me Down (Demo Version)
15 Folk F**k
16 Mountaineers
17 Forgiven (Demo Version)
18 Opiated Self-Help Song (Demo Version)
19 Bathing Song
20 Deja Vu
21 Lost Girls