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Violet Indiana


Country of origin:

Scotland and England

Type of music generally:

Ethereal dream pop

Status:

Most recent release, Russian Doll (2004)

See also:

Violet Indiana's MySpace page

Always on the Run's Violet Indiana info

Robin Guthrie's Violet Indiana page

Wikpedia's entries on Robin Guthrie and Siobhan de Maré

The Ectophiles' Guide's page for Cocteau Twins, one of Robin Guthrie's previous projects

Comparisons:

Cocteau Twins, Portishead

Covers/own material:

Own

General comments:

Robin Guthrie was formerly in the Cocteau Twins. Siobhan de Maré is a former member of Mono.

Recommended first album:

Roulette

Recordings:


Roulette

Release info:

2001—Bella Union

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Robin Guthrie
Siobhan de Maré

Produced by:

Robin Guthrie

Comments:

Shimmering, gauzy dream pop that, at its best, is quite arresting. (JoAnn Whetsell)

Casino

Release info:

2002—Bella Union

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Recommended

Group members:

Robin Guthrie
Siobhan de Maré

Produced by:

Robin Guthrie

Comments:

This compilation of EPs is a disappointment after Violet Indiana's debut. The mix of Robin Guthrie's watery guitar and Sioban de Maré's film noir chanteuse act, so alluring on Roulette here becomes dreary and forced. None of the songs are developed; instead, there's just a wall of atmosphere and Concept (Cocteau Twins meets Portishead) that doesn't really go anywhere. Even taken in small doses as they were intended, they become monotonous. Here's hoping that the next release strengthens their songwriting skills. (ethereal_lad@livejournal.com)

Russian Doll

Release info:

2004—Bella Union—BELLACD66

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Robin Guthrie
Siobhan de Maré

Produced by:

Robin Guthrie

Comments:

The concept sounds great—mixing Siobhan de Maré's sexy, femme fatal vocals over Robin Guthrie's shimmering wall of guitars. It works, mostly, because the songs are more substantial than Guthrie's "soundscape" aesthetic in the Cocteau Twins. As a singer, de Maré's voice is a little too light and frothy to completely pull off her tales of bruised, mascara-masked vixens, but it's pleasant enough. At its best, Russian Doll evokes a film noir city, where crimes of passion are common. (ethereal_lad@livejournal.com)

Dark, dreamy pop. I don't pull this one out often, but I enjoy it when I do. (JoAnn Whetsell)


Thanks to JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.

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DISCLAIMER: Comments and reviews in the Ectophiles' Guide are excerpted from the ecto mailing list or volunteered by members of the list. They are the opinions of music enthusiasts, not professional music critics.

Entry last updated 2015-10-02 16:12:52.
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