CD Reviews

Lissy Trullie | Lissy Trullie

Xenon/Downtown (2012)

By REYAN ALI | March 13, 2012

2.0 Stars

Lissy Trullie is still, by and large, one big question mark. In 2009, the New York-based singer-songwriter/model got a pleasant flurry of press after releasing her debut EP, Self-Taught Learner, and a kick-ass cover of Hot Chip's "Ready for the Floor." With the release of her first full-length, Trullie — in photos, a redheaded waif with a stoic expression — fills in some conspicuous blanks, and the results are underwhelming. Lissy Trullie sounds simultaneously hungry and tepid, as if Trullie wants to make a big splash, but her album lacks the conviction or vision to make it happen. This release very much evokes indie rock circa-2005, a combination of Bloc Party, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and the Bravery without any big or fresh ideas to push it forward. As a lyricist, Trullie rarely hooks the imagination (the fantastic visual of "X red carnations" being one exception). As a vocalist, she's too restrained to catch the ear. A few solid concepts float around the record— the tortured "Madeleine," the hooky stalker anthem "I Know Where You Sleep," the unexpected, exultant, and anguished brass on a couple of songs — but on the whole, it never lights a spark.

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Topics: CD Reviews , New York, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bloc Party, More

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