Ah, the fickle mind of an Eyeballkid rock reviewer. There are so many reasons why I should not like this album in the slightest –the gothic design of the packaging, accompanied by the oh-so sombre and earnest press release penned by the artist herself had the warning lights flashing before even a single note had been heard.

Upon listening to the album, within the first four tracks I had noticed features that I have denounced other bands for exhibiting so many times before; like the melancholy tones, sometimes Dr. Seuss-like lyrics, and overriding sense that this music takes itself so completely seriously… …but wait, please, I am not slagging this album off for a minute. Against all reason, I am unable to resist the lure of this intriguingly excellent rock music. Right from the start the sound is powerful and hypnotic, grown up grunge for proper connoisseurs. Sure, it is a touch gloomy on the whole, but remember this girl was in Smashing Pumpkins, and they were the ultra-miseries (I know this is true as I saw it on an episode of the Simpsons). Auf der Maur’s “ornate wall of sound” is perfectly complemented by her firmly sexy vocals (a voice that somehow conjures up images of a strict but gorgeous young schoolmistress that every young boy had a crush on).

The highlights of Auf der Maur are the Hawkwind-esque opener ‘Lightning Is My Girl’ and ‘I’ll Be Anything That You Want’, the most upbeat – and in my opinion by far the best - track on the album. ‘Skin Receiver’ shows Evanescence how it should be done. ‘My Foggy Notion’ is another stomper, only with undertones of foreboding – great stuff! Not so good are the lyrics of ‘Beast Of Honour’ (along the lines of “got your crest on my chest… take a look … on a hook … hours, devours”) – I was waiting for “I’m a poet and I know it” I’m afraid; and the piano misery of ‘Overpower Me’, a track which make Gary Jules’ version of ‘Mad World’ sound like the ‘Happy Days’ theme.

I cannot explain exactly what it is about this album that I like so much, but the fact is I genuinely do, and that is enough for me. Maybe rock music has been getting a bit too tongue-in-cheek for me lately, or maybe if music is constructed this well the quality transcends boundaries of personal taste. Either way, good album.

words: Harry Harris

Memorandum
From: Harry
To: Eyeballkid
Re: Auf der Maur album

Please note every effort has been made to avoid any cheap, smutty comments about the fact that Melissa Auf der Maur used to play with Courtney Love’s Hole. It’s neither big nor clever and has been done before to the point of tedium.

Watch the video to Auf der Maur’s debut single ‘Followed The Waves’:

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