Your average goth might not know the name Strange Boutique, but they might know Faith & the Muse; they are worth a clove cigarette. Monica Richards sings for both bands, and she has returned to this project. It does carry the ache of the 90s with a more organic shoe-gazing ambiance. The pace picks up from the more languid haze of the opening g track to more of an organic rock amble. "Twelve Chimes" sounds like what might happen if Robert Smith wrote a song for the Cowboy Junkies. The chorus is rather subtle as the song coasts along rather gracefully.
There is more of an odd Brit pop skip in the step of "Under Surface". This could be traced to Siouxsie and the Banshees, who are also notably influenced by the Beatles. "Jet Stream" simmers with more of a rock brooding that reminds me of the Cult, but without the big arena rock chorus. The darker bass line of "Zoid in Dreamland" provides one of the album's strongest grooves. Richards' purr works well on the verses, the chorus complements it rather than punching out with radio expectations. Things drone out into a hypnotic jam.
"Calliope" drifts on a cloud of ambiance that almost vanishes into its own spectral introspection—almost more of an interlude than a song. "Whistle and I Will Come to You" is another whimsical ballad with a delicate dance that has more in common with the Cocteau Twins than post-punk. The melodies are more ethereal yet still grounding rather than ascending into fey wonderment. I will give this album a 9 and see how it grows on me. It is a fun, wistful listen, that is not as brooding as Faith and the Muse but works for what this is.
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