Joyride

Husik's first non-Shimmy Disc rock record has the best of both worlds — it showcases a just different enough approach to the songs in term of recording, while keeping all the mysterious magic of her earlier work perfectly intact. The key change is that the warm glow of reverb, courtesy of Kramer, is stripped back (but not completely absent) here — Husik's singing is a touch crisper as a result, her voice clearer without seeming compromised or any less special. The gentle but never wishy-washy mysticism that seems to infuse all her work holds steady here, spiked up here and there with some sharp guest performances. "Mother Richard," one of the tracks Gumball member the Rummager plays drums on, revolves around a dark semi-surf guitar line that's immediately captivating, especially when the music strips down to just that and the vocals. It's a prime example of Husik's skill on both instrumental and vocal fronts, and there are plenty of others: the just spooky enough subtle pop/psych chime of "Flower of the Hour," again with some particularly great guitar, "Persinthia Lawdro and John," with its rolling live breakbeat drum punch courtesy of Julius Klepazcz, the pure bliss and dark guitar ring of "Donkey Pot" almost disguising the sharp emotional sentiments. One song from her running collaboration with Beaumont Hannant crops up here, a revamp of "Starburst 7" called "Star," here a lovely vocal/guitar/E-Bow only number rather than the usual Hannant-produced effort, Husik overdubbed several times to create the backing choir. As before, a cover song makes its way onto the record: namely an enjoyable glide through the Dentists' Anglo-indie classic "Strawberries Are Growing in My Garden (And It's Wintertime)." If the exuberant performance wasn't enough, Dentists vocalist Mick Murphy joins Husik to turn the song into a duet, a lovely little nod back.