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Having been a fan of Asian-American singer Rachael Yamagata since she released her debut album Happenstance in 2003, I was eager, yet apprehensive to listen to her sophomore effort, Elephants…Teeth Sinking Into Heart. Whilst the process of creating the second album may be arduous, Yamagata has taken the ambitious turn of dividing Elephants…Teeth Sinking Into Heart into two halves; the first, Elephants, showcasing Yamagata’s fragile vocals and lyrical intensity and Teeth Sinking Into Heart displaying an angrier, more cynical side of Yamagata, in contrast to her melodic, melancholy songs.
The album centers on the theme of broken relationships, bereavement and painful memories. The opening song, 'Elephants' is a moody affair, Yamagata’s songwriting is filled with beautiful metaphors, the powerful imagery building up to a tragic climax. Her voice is filled with incredible emotional intensity, as her melancholy, husky vocals contrast with the beautiful instrumentals on this album. Her wistful singing provides a glorious harmony, a soaring chorus against the crescendo of violins and the delicate chords of the piano.
Teeth Sinking Into Heart sees Yamagata’s abrupt transformation into bold and assertive rocker chick. Usually, I shun the concept of the double album, with one side of the album usually far superior in quality to the other. Unfortunately, this appears to be the case for Teeth Sinking Into Heart. Suddenly, the lyrics turn from their previous wistfulness into something incredibly bitter. 'Accident', a thunderous anthem filled with surging guitars and heavy drums, begins promisingly before boring the listener with an uninspired rant about jealousy and superficial gossip.
Where Elephants provided a brooding look at the past, Teeth Sinking Into Heart is a vicious backlash against the emotional injuries of the past, a sharp contrast to the hushed, contemplative tone of Elephants. Sadly, due to Yamagata’s insistence on displaying her so-called angry side, the latter half of the album feels forced and the songwriting rapidly descends into clichés. Rock and roll type music is not Yamagata’s style and it shows – in ‘Faster’ she barely convinces, telling an ex-lover "I’m goin’ faster / You’re goin’ backwards / And you’re gonna miss me when I’m gone". Thudding rhythms and jarring melodies makes this second side a monotonous listen. Luckily, with only five songs on Teeth Sinking Into Heart, the sudden drop in quality does not mar the entire production.
Despite the disappointing second side of the album, Elephants…Teeth Sinking Into Heart is ripe with Yamagata’s trademark style – the soaring, fragile vocals, the lush instrumental accompaniments and the emotional intensity of this sophomore effort ensures that she has not fallen victim to second album syndrome.
Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart is out now.
Rachael Yamagata: Official Site | MySpace
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