Bat for Lashes — Two Suns (Review)
About eleven years ago, I was at my favorite used media store browsing the CD section and I came across this album. The CD had a note across the jacket in gold saying “For Promotional Use Only”. I remembered Bat for Lashes had been suggested to me through my music purchases at the time. Two Suns had great reviews from Rolling Stone and her newest album The Haunted Man was also getting a glowing reception. So, I bought it and brought it home and never listened to it. I was going through a very heavy Lilith Fair phase at the time and just wasn’t ready to listen to the album. Years later, around the time Lost Girls (which I LOVE) came out, I decided I needed to give this record a real listen. I have to say, this record is a beautiful journey. If you're a fan of theatrical pop music, in the vane of Kate Bush, then Natasha Khan has you covered.
The first song I gave a listen to was the single “Daniel”. Sonically, it’s like walking into a love story. Going through the woods to meet eyes with your lover .The lyrics paint gorgeous picture of the world and longing Pearl (Khan’s alter ego on this record) has. The instrumentation of synths, bass, violins, and guitars only further add to this supernatural journey your on. After listening to this track, I decided to had to give this album a full listen. I was not disappointed with the rest of the record.
The first track “Glass” sets the tone of the entire album. Opening with Khan’s reverberated vocals providing a tale of “crystal towers and emerald cities” which highlight the beauty of the lover that Pearl pines for. The addition of primal drums and this medieval pianochord washes you into a mystical journey. You almost want to break out the scarfs and get into full Stevie Nicks mode. “Sleep Alone” continues this vibe with Khan’s simple guitar playing building into synths, bass, piano, and vocal swells. Pearl’s aching need for her lover is punctuated through the lyricism and pulsing bass. “Moon to Moon” is the first ballad on the album with Khan’s piano playing being the main focal point. The lyrical ache of a lost love is only amplified by the slowly building voices and synth. “Peace of Mind” is call of strength. The synth and banjo-like guitar add to this lost and desolate atmosphere. As the track progresses, this call builds to a chant with addition of more vocals that give the track an almost gospel tone towards the end. “Siren Song” swells from verse to chorus. The verses have delicate piano tone to coincide with Pearl’s declarations of care and love. This swells with the addition of synths and piano as Pearl goes mad from the Siren’s call. It’s definitely a highlight on the album for me. “Pearl’s Dream” is the second single off this record. It’s immediately got a driving beat with 80s synths starting off the track. The track details Pearl’s battle for her freedom. It makes you want to get up and move. It’s no surprise that this track was chosen to be a single with its radio friendly sound. “Good Love” is probably the song I like the least on the album. The organ playing on the track becomes extremely repetitive and monotonous over time. Lyrically, the tale of love once captured and lost is told beautifully. The choruses do a great job giving the track a foggy like atmosphere, but it just falls flat for me. “Two Planets” almost feels like a priestess’s tale. This is the most primitive sounding track on the record with its primal percussive elements. This becomes more psychedelic as its synths that give the track a nearly hallucinogenic nature. “Travelling Woman” is the last ballad on the album. Khan’s echoing vocals feel like a voice calling through mist to Pearl to not give up because of her lost love. I love how this track just fades out at the end, like a call fading out in the background. “The Big Sleep” has silent movie feel with the addition of a deep male voice and dramatic piano. It’s a short track. It’s theatrics make me think of an old movie actress over doing her death scene. It’s an okay track, but I think that “Travelling Woman” would have done well to be the last track on the record.
So, what are my overall thoughts? I think this record is beautifully written and a fun sonic journey. The album is extremely cohesive, which makes for a very fun listen. I love the idea of following the story of Khan’s alter ego Pearl through this record. Some of the tracks lost me with that a little, but I think that might just need further listenings to get all the connections together. I definitely recommend giving this record a listen. My favorite tracks:
- “Glass”
- “Moon to Moon”
- “Daniel”
- “Siren Song”
- “Pearl’s Dream”
- “Two Planets”
Rating: 7 out 10 pearls
