Thea Gilmore’s last album, the dizzyingly literate Rules for Jokers, introduced America to one of the UK’s hottest young prospects: a sharp-tongued, melodically gripping songwriter with ability and attitude in equal measure. In the tradition of stormy wordsmiths like Dylan, Costello, and Westerberg, Gilmore weds her observations to a raging hybrid of folk immediacy, pop polish, and a graceful lilt that is entirely her own. Avalanche builds on the lyrical ambitions of Rules for Jokers, seamlessly integrating the personal and political into stark, disarming vignettes. While her wordly focus and intensity have grown ever-sharper, Avalanche is equally notable for the expansion of Gilmore’s musical palette – the album is deeper, more textured and spacious than anything she has put onto tape previously. Over a rich bed of acoustic guitars, filtered and layered percussion, and himing electronics, Gilmore’s voice shines as it never as before.
"Her confident wordplay puts her in a league with Dylan and Costello when they were her age…” – Pulse
"Arriving on the scene like a female descendant of punk's initial angry young man phase (namely Elvis Costello, Graham Parker and Joe Jackson), she draws her weapons from a fully loaded arsenal of sarcastic vitriol in order to ruthlessly stab her points home…" – Paste Music
"A lushness of poetic vision that's leavened by spiky-punky confidence – like if Joni Mitchell had grown up listening to Patti Smith and paid her dues by performing Ani DiFranco covers…" – Seattle Weekly
Selections:
1. Rags and Bones
2. Have You Heard
3. Juliet (Keep That in Mind)
4. Avalanche
5. Mainstream
6. Pirate Moon
7. Apparition #13
8. Razor Valentine
9. God Knows
10. Heads Will Roll
11. Eight Months
12. The Cracks
"Her confident wordplay puts her in a league with Dylan and Costello when they were her age…” – Pulse
"Arriving on the scene like a female descendant of punk's initial angry young man phase (namely Elvis Costello, Graham Parker and Joe Jackson), she draws her weapons from a fully loaded arsenal of sarcastic vitriol in order to ruthlessly stab her points home…" – Paste Music
"A lushness of poetic vision that's leavened by spiky-punky confidence – like if Joni Mitchell had grown up listening to Patti Smith and paid her dues by performing Ani DiFranco covers…" – Seattle Weekly
Selections:
1. Rags and Bones
2. Have You Heard
3. Juliet (Keep That in Mind)
4. Avalanche
5. Mainstream
6. Pirate Moon
7. Apparition #13
8. Razor Valentine
9. God Knows
10. Heads Will Roll
11. Eight Months
12. The Cracks
