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Single Reviews
Single Review: Theoretical Girl – Divided (Memphis Industries)
By CMU Editorial | Published on Monday 17 August 2009
Judging by her musical moniker, you’d half expect Amy Eleanor Turnnidge’s debut album to be influenced by Glenn Branca’s avante-garde and no-wave projects. However, just a few seconds into ‘Rivals’, the first track on the album, you know it’s anything but. Self-described as ‘chamber pop’, it’s one part early sixties pop, pre-dating the experimentalism of the later years of the decade, with a dash of early Belle And Sebastian for good measure. Given that The Pipettes haven’t released anything in the last three years because of a curious revolving door policy of members that would make the Sugababes blush, Theoretical Girl easily slips into the musical space left by their absence. This template is consistently used across the album, with few deviations. When it works, on the likes of ‘The Boy I Left Behind’, whose gentle melancholic longing is rather touching, or ‘Good Timing’, a piano and strings led track that could have walked from the Bacharach and David songbook, ‘Divided’ has some very strong moments. However, you soon notice that you’re getting too much of a good thing and that Turnnidge isn’t stretching herself as much as she ought to, settling into a simple, uncomplicated pattern that becomes too repetitive and frustrating. More variety and more experimentation on her next album would be very welcome. Turnnidge is evidently a songwriter and performer with much potential, but it’d be nice to see her demonstrate this more and not sell herself short by staying in her comfort zone. KW
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