| Treblezine
Before even listening one second of this album, I was already biased.
First of all, one should know that Petracovich is the pseudonym for Jessica
Peters, a singer/keyboardist with light and airy vocals based out of San
Francisco. Upon learning that the name was taken from her old-world family
name, I was intrigued. My own family had their name changed from what
was presumably Eterovich, the Croatian version, to Terich, again presumably,
on Ellis Island. Peters does a reversal of that process in a number of
ways. Secondly, Peters cites a long list of influences that delve deep
into my heart, most specifically Aimee Mann. On her second full-length
release, We Are Wyoming, an album dedicated to her grandparents, Peters
presents what few solo artists can, a consistency of beauty, depth and
proficiency.
Peters' grandfather would be, as the story was told to her, decked out
in a suit while listening to the New York Opera on the radio. She honors
this image in a few ways, the first being adding the short snippets of
classical, "Clair de Lune" by Debussy and "Fantasy Impromptu"
by Chopin. Besides these asides, the rest of We Are Wyoming is a perfect
balance between the traditional and the modern. With drum programming
and the inserted various electronic sounds that garnered the term `folktronica,'
there is always Peters' voice, breathy, measured and just a bit seductive.
From track to track, she can swap the synthesizer for a traditional piano
or acoustic guitar with ease, proving that the idea of `song' has not
changed with technology or modernization. Music is and always has been
universal, and Petracovich's is wonderful, in the traditional sense of
the word.
"What If I Came to Get You" is the standout track from the album,
switching from Wurlitzer to tinny piano, which recalls the early work
of Neil Young, with ease, and a chorus to rival the pop majesty of the
aforementioned Mann and also Elliott Smith. The song ends with the sound
of rain, giving it that extra added touch, making one think of those days
spent inside with a book and listening to the drops hit the window. "The
Ultrasound" is another great song with traditional piano that provides
a great example of how Peters' voice becomes, rather than a convention,
an actual instrument, weaving in and out of notes like air through leafy
boughs. Her sweet falsetto in "Paper Cup" makes the heart ache
with sweetness and light.
It might be easy for some to lump Petracovich in with the long line of
singer/songwriters in the field today, but that would not do justice to
her talent. The complexities of a song like "Others" or "All
I Have to Say," for instance, puts her on a plane with select few.
We Are Wyoming is an accomplished and intricately gorgeous work that demands
further attention. Listening to the album is like opening an antique music
box and finding the delicate tinny notes inside transformed into full-fledged
modernized and layered songs, and the ballerina turns, ever onward, with
strings tied to one's heart, reeling it into her world.
Similar Albums:
Aimee Mann- The Forgotten Arm
M. Ward- Transistor Radio
Innocence Mission- Now the Day is Over
Terrance Terich
10.27.2005
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