ST. VINCENT

Apolo's moonrise




Annie Clark is more than St. Vincent, her stage name. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, known as the sooner state, in 1982, she has grown as a songwriter thanks to her experiences as a member of The Polyphonic Spree and after that some tours with Glenn Branca and Sufjan Stevens. In 2006 she decided to record her debut album as St. Vincent and, under the title Marry me (2007, Beggars Banquet), received critical acclaim  thanks to a list of songs written when she was just seventeen years old. The sooner state girl was also a very soon songwriter.

The second album was Actor (2009, 4AD) also acclaimed by the critics but with a higher commercial success. St. Vincent demonstrated again a wonderful talent for melody and a deep vision for dark lyrics. As she sang then Just the same but brand new.

And a third album came, Strange Mercy (4AD), which she described as a loneliness experience. Her songs are more cryptic and affecting, but most of all, deeply strong, the perfect mirror for her soul, and the harder one for ours. From sweetness people can also be Cruel.

Now she comes from her collaboration with David Byrne. They are going to release the album  Love this giant (2012, 4AD, Todo Mundo). The only track known from this upcoming album is the promo single Who, but we can wait a lot of wonders from these two great songwriters.

In Barcelona, at the Sala Apolo last 20TH June, she performed the songs included in her last album and some from the first two. It's true that I would have loved she had given us a little surprise presenting some from her collaboration with Byrne, but I should admit that in the end, the show was so intense that I forgot my initial wish. When she hurled herself on the public, her body danced as a beautiful ship with no direction but her intense voice. Her eyes were looking then for a magical light that all the audience founded in her own soul. St Vincent sailed the Barcelona sea as un unforgettable experience. Time goes by but St. Vincent’s music will remain. 

ST. VINCENT videos here
Text by Juan Carlos Romero