Drowned in Sound

Search



scout niblett

Scout Niblett: Kidnapped By Neptune

no votes
?
by Thomas Ferguson
  • Type: Album
  • Release date: 23/05/2005
  • Label: Too Pure
Say what you like about Steve Albini, but you’ve gotta admit he knows a decent voice when he hears one – hence the work with Scout Niblett on her third long-playing grunge-folk opus ‘Kidnapped By Neptune’. And what a voice it is, the syrup-like croak dancing over the oft-plaintive strum that accompanies it, with more than a hint of Peej Harvey and the odd strain reminiscent of Kurt in his prime. Sweet, yet with something of a bitter edge to it.

Not that it’s only her voice that she’s got going for her here, as the sparse guitar lines that break into densely-packed alt.rock riffs and heavy-handed drumming do wonders in complimenting her intricately-woven vocals. Despite the forcefulness and power of the drums and the QOTSA-indebted guitars, though, it’s usually the more delicate parts that come across as the more intense – the false sense of security in ‘Relax’ (with the refrain “I smell fear cooking”), the lulling address at the beginning of ‘Pom Poms’, the first half of ‘Hot To Death’ where, although only seconds into the LP, you can already taste the dust in your mouth. Indeed, in some cases it’s her vocal delivery that saves a lot of the songs, as demonstrated in ‘Valvoline’ which would essentially be a string of broken (and slightly ham-fisted) drum breaks if it weren’t for her tones book-ending each one.

In places, Scout uses her lyrics like their own rhythm, with the fiercely loop-like ‘Safety Pants’ and the layered early curveball of the title track, which at times seems at odds with the way they are given room to breath and unravel in enchanting, arrhythmic ways. But where the album seems to lack cohesion, even from the start of a song to the end, it makes up for in pure curiosity factor, drawing the listener in transfixed, intrigued as to where this wondrous sound may turn next. If you’re looking for dusty, cavernous melancholia entwined with hard rockin’ and speckled with magic, then consider it found.

  • Scout Niblett 8 / 10

Scout Niblett - Kidnapped By Neptune

oooh...this is fucking good!

Re: Scout Niblett - Kidnapped By Neptune

I like the sound of this. Nearly bought it today but realised I'm poooor. I like the fact the inlay is mostly just black.

Scout Niblett - Kidnapped By Neptune

i heardthis in The Record Shop the other day. it was pretty fucking great.

Scout Niblett - Kidnapped By Neptune

This is a really really good record. More accessible than 'I am' too, probably because the out of tune ukelele has been abandoned. Hopefully lots of people will buy it so she can actually afford to tour here properly.

Scout Niblett - Kidnapped By Neptune

its very good...if you're poor nick it and send Scout Niblett some money for her birthday

Scout Niblett - Kidnapped By Neptune

I got "I Am", and that'll be it for me. As far as I can tell, she only exists as a warning to others -- she can't sing (comparing her bark to PJ's soulful voice is ludicrous), can't play an instrument and can't write a decent song. A triple threat if ever this was one, and unless she's unless she's made some huge evolutionary step and learnt to sing/ play/write, I can't understand the enthusiasm.

Re: Scout Niblett - Kidnapped By Neptune

i think Polly and Scout both have the bark/soul thing going on...just Peej has more of the latter...

that "triple threat" isn't really a problem for me...hehe.

Scout Niblett - Kidnapped By Neptune

just listen to her debut sweetheart fever.
absolutely stunning songwriting, great songcraft.
that she changed direction totally instead of becoming the new cat power makes me adore her even more.