Death Vessel’s debut album Stay Close was released back in 2005. It created quite an impression and the often sublime neo folk vibe that came from the band opened doors for them to tour with the likes of Iron & Wine. Founder member and vocalist Joel Thibodeau was born in Berlin, Germany but is now based in Brooklyn. Forming a partnership with Erik Carlson, of Area C, and adding a whole host of additional musical talents, including Micah Blue Smaldone (Pinkerton Thugs), they formed what is now Death Vessel.
Stay Close was well received not only for the strength of the song-writing but also the often minimalistic and simple atmosphere it created. However it was the unique vocals of Joel Thibodeau that attracted a lot of the attention. He has an extraordinary soprano tone – producing an exceptionally high register that led to him often being mistaken for female. That is of course until Death Vessel’s reputation began to spread and the uncertainty all but quashed.
However, it still remains the focal point of most articles about Death Vessel, and this can be no exception, but, in my defense I can only encourage you to listen and appreciate the reviewer’s dilemma. Add to this the label’s press release statement that ‘people will call it many things, few will get it right’ and the plot thickens. Joel Thibodeau’s bizarre voice is perfectly suited to the traditional folk feel flowing through Death Vessel’s second album, the recently released; Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us (Sub-Pop Records, August 2008).
“Block My Eye” is a precise, clean, and wonderfully balanced opener. Any track that includes ‘railroad spikes’ as an instrument, surely has to grab your attention. It is within this song that you realize what an extraordinary talent Thibodeau is. His voice is that of a very young female and yet you know differently. It adds an edge, a spike of uncertainty about what you are hearing and of course, because of that, makes you listen all the more intently.
The sublime “Jitterakadie” is sung over a lush acoustic finger-pick. As beginnings of albums go these two tracks promise volumes. The album is a well worked mix of Americana, folk and neat finger picking sitting alongside distorted guitars. The bottom line is that once you begin to break through the uncertainty regarding the origin of the vocals you realise that you have actually started listening to the music and that what you are hearing is charmingly spell binding.
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