3 out of 5

Label: Vicious Circle

Produced by: Fabrice Laureau (recorded by)

A striking combination of two talented musicians, creating an ultimately weird balance that is very, very listenable, but also somewhat imperfect.

Multi-instrumentalists both, Yann Tiersen and Shannon Wright are credited with quite a range of stuff here, though Wright tends to cover the “basics” – guitar, bass, drums, the singing – and Tiersen handles the flourish, via many stringed instruments and some keys. The tunes are definitely catered towards Shannon’s darker tendencies, staying within the same range of lower-end chord progressions and melodies she favors, but the potential richness of this mash-up is evident from the first moment, which gives the drama of Wright’s music cinematic flourish. As recorded by Fabrice Laureau, this is a very rich but also intimate sound; a good connection to the way Wright’s solo albums have been recorded, stemming back to the punch oft-provided by Jim Marrer or Steve Albini.

And the musicality I’d say Tiersen encourages, with Wright gearing her angsty-er edges towards more sustained melodies and no outward bursts, is also quite appealing, giving us the best of a pop-influenced sound and the raw edges of Shannon’s voice and compositions.

But: this also all feels like compromise. That opener, and some stunning moments like While You Sleep – notably a louder song – make the most of this intersection; elsewhere it feels like each artist is fighting inclinations a bit, and it undercuts the lasting impact of the music. Wright’s lyrics feel a bit more generic, curbing the overall approach to allow room for Tiersen’s additions, and Tiersen is also leaning into the alt-rock bit, making it feel slightly like a shtick and not necessarily organic.

Probably one of Wright’s most direct and accessible discs, and surely a really fun idea with some highlights, but her better and more focused material is found on other albums.