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May 12, 2005
the Redemptive Powers of Fruit Pectin
Aislers Set - Catherine Says
When I first heard 'Catherine Says', I somehow mentally linked the name in the song to Bernini's 'The Ecstasy of St. Theresa' (believing it was 'The Ecstasy of St. Catherine'). Later on I discovered my mistake and was filled with shame. However, I still think the sculpture provides an extremely compelling illustration for some of the song's lyrics- the first line Amy Linton sings is "I gave my life and love to Jesus", and, if I remember correctly, the deal with 'E of St. T' is that Theresa has an almost orgasmic look on her face- so intense was her spirituality (she often professed to having mystic visions)- as the angel withdraws the arrow of divine love from her heart.
'Catherine Says' is such a vocal-driven song, and that's really just due to the fact that Amy Linton's voice is so remarkably pretty. It's got a resounding quality to it, as if Amy herself somehow houses an echo chamber somewhere in her torso. But the music itself, like much of the Aislers Set's work, is almost lapidary, it's so carved and delicate. The xylophone introduction, the soft and insistent pouding of the drums that usher in Amy's first verse, the slowly grinding distorted guitar buried deep in the mix, and the sweet handclaps and snaps- this song is a little loose gem.
All of the Aislers Set's albums are great, but this song is taken from 2003's "How I Learned to Write Backwards", which you can buy here.
Posted by Kevin at May 12, 2005 01:02 AM
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