FLUTTR EFFECT - MARKING TIME

FLUTTR EFFECT - MARKING TIME

Disk 1 . . . . . . .62:57
1. Like this . . . . . . 4:03
2. Talk To Me . . . . 3:51
3. Awake . . . . . . 3:33
4. Hollywood is... . . . . . . 5:49
5. ...Porn . . . . . . 6:04
6. February 1st 1896 . . . . . . 3:39
7. Lucky Glove . . . . . . 4:33
8. Don't Know What You're Living For . 7:22
9. Venus loves Hades . . . . . 4:02
10. Nowhere . . . . . . . 6:05
11. Marking Time . . . . . 4:59
12. Transmission (J's Dreamy Remix)
(bonus track) . . . . . . . 3:49

Line-up
- Kara Trott: Vocals
- Troy Kidwell: Guitar, vocals
- Valerie Thompson: Cello, vocals
- Jason Marchionna: Drums
- Vessela Stoyanova: Marimba, Vibes, Melodica

format: Single CD • Trojan Horse
release date: January 2007

Fluttreffect's official website at:
http://www.fluttreffect.com

Fluttreffect is a great quintet from the Boston area, a young, dynamic band with a totally original sound of their own, unlike anything you have heard before! Their new album is entitled Marking Time and features youthful enthusiasm, splendid musicianship and clever composing. What really stands out is their unusual instrumentation, with cellos and marimbas, and the fact that there are three female members in this cool formation! Their compositions are sophisticated and elegant, experimental and dynamic, that could be classified as an artful form of avant-garde/RIO with a slightly goth metal/classical electronic edge. They have a wide range of influences and themes in their excentric arrangements, which will remind you at times of the Cocteau Twins, Present, Dead Can Dance and even King Crimson! The captivating vocal work of lead singer Kara Trott is a delicious cross between Dolores O'Riordan and Pat Benatar, but with a much more agreable melodic tone.

The album begins on an exuberant, dynamic tone with Like This, which features a few surprising tempo changes. Talk To Me features some brilliant guitar work by Troy Kidwell, and has a catchy melody with a great hook. Awake begins on a playful, jazzy rhythm, a track with an amazing melody and great vocal harmonies, my favorite track of the album. Hollywood Is... quite unique! ...a very groovy rythm, with cool marimba and cellos, ending in a crescendo of ever faster controlled chaos. ...Porn is somewhat softer, but builds into a melancholic combo of cello with piano passages that are reminiscent at times of Karcius. The track ends with some odd French narrations. February 1st 1896 begins on a solemn cello solo that will catapult you directly to a Parisian café, with its moody, dramatic tone, and adding an agressive, edgy guitar tone over this otherwise melancholic melody. Lucky Glove has a great smooth rhythm, and features Kara's lovely vocals with a well balanced, very agreable falsetto, a haunting melody, but then the track turns into a dyamic pop driven number with a tempo that builds up into a speedy RIO style composition, very quirky and energetic. Don't Know What You're Living For , one of the longest tracks of the album at over seven minutes, features a cool synth intro, a straightfoward rock composition with a wide variety of tones and textures. Venus Loves Hades is a really catchy song with a great melody, a bit reminiscent of White Willow. Nowhere unleashes a powerful hard rock tone with a captivating blend of unfettered hard guitars, marimbas and keyboards with occasional RIO tones. Marking Time, the eponymous track of the album, begins on a melancholic guitar and cello duet, a dramatic composition which features short, hammering hard rock bursts, with a great guitar theme at the end. Please note that this last song features over 4 minutes of silence at the end, which leads to the "bonus track" entitled Transmissions (J's Dreamy Remix), a delicate cello/vocal duo over a slow drum beat, with a bit of hard guitar shredding in the middle and at the very end.

Phew, what a cool musical journey! Marking Time is a really fun album which features impeccable musicianship, brilliant arrangements and great production quality. This album will appeal to young fans of contemporary alternative music as well as the older prog and RIO crowds. They definitely must be something amazing to see live!

My rating for Marking Time : 8.7/10(album reviewed by Robert Dansereau 02/02/2007)