Rating: NNN
It’s not clear why British singer/songwriter Anna Calvi chose these specific songs to cover for her latest release. They’re from a seemingly random bunch: alt-R&B trip-hopper FKA Twigs, 70s electro-punks Suicide and David Bowie, to name a few. But since each of the five tunes gets Calvi’s signature treatment – haunting vocals and emotional flourishes – the EP sounds perfectly cohesive.
Her take on Bowie’s Lady Grinning Soul is slowed down as she breathes over swelling pianos. Papi Pacify is a watered-down take on FKA Twigs’ trippy version, though with reverby guitar and crashing drums it’s equally dramatic. I’m The Man That Will Find You, by New Zealand weirdo Connan Mockasin, is much sexier than the original while retaining its creepy, stalkerish fervour.
On the title track, David Byrne joins in on vocals, but apart from adding some call-and-response, it doesn’t stray too far from Keren Ann’s brilliant 2011 original. Calvi’s obviously got great pipes, but the EP would’ve been better if she’d made every cover unrecognizable.
Top track: I’m The Man That Will Find You
Anna Calvi ft. David Byrne – Strange Weather from Alan Del Rio Ortiz on Vimeo.
