Album Review: Sister Kinderhook by Rasputina

Dear Melora,

Melora, if you’re reading this, there’s a reason I’m writing this as a break up letter. I’m trying to figure out if the problem here is me. Like many of your fans, I’ve been following Rasputina for more than a decade and it’s been interesting watching you grow as an artist. You keep trying new things to keep your music fresh and relevant. You’ve also been through a lot of band members, and in addition released a solo record as Melora Creager.

I fell in love with you the first time I heard “Dig Ophelia”. I thrilled in a white trashy way when you sang “Trenchmouth”. You broke my heart so deftly with “Hunter’s Kiss”, having first announced that it would be a sad story, and I watched admiringly from a distance when you sang “Saline the Salt Lake Queen”. I agreed with you when you stated that the cello is the saddest instrument. Your solo album was interesting but also kind of forgettable, but then O Perilous World came along with some really good songs and an interesting idea. And I was happy.

And now Sister Kinderhook. Like most of the rest of your albums, the songs can be broken into four categories: 1) The brilliant songs we love you for. 2) Some songs that are OK and might be the ones we like later when we get tired of the ones we liked first. 3) A few songs that are mostly amazing but have something really annoying about them (like the frenetic part of “Draconian Crackdown”, which is otherwise rocking). 4) One or two real stinkers. Please note that only one of your albums has no stinkers. That is as much a product of your experimentation as anything else, and when I buy your albums I don’t mind the stinkers because the rest is always so interesting.

Can I tell you that there isn’t anybody else I know of anywhere who is doing what you do? There are some bands that can be compared, but you are very unique.

I read a discussion on a fan site where some people were talking about whether or not you were going to drag out the dulcimer again. The point being that the dulcimer was really grating. And don’t get me wrong – there is something intrinsically grating about your music. Sometimes that’s a good thing, like in “Saline” or “Crosswalk”. Other times, not so much. Like in “The 2 Miss Leavens” which is grating and (I think it’s best to be blunt here) boring. I pre-ordered Sister Kinderhook and got the fan, thank you. Then I listened to the album some. And then stopped listening to it. Then I listened to it some more. Then I stopped listening to it. Then I tried listening to it on shuffle with the other Rasputina albums. Here are my thoughts.

I love love love “Sweet Sister Temperance” and “Meant to be Dutch”. “Dutch” in particular makes me think of Chinese railroad laborers and theremin. The tracks “Kinderhook Hoopskirt Works” and “Afternoon of the Fawn” are good. “Kinderhook Hoopskirt Works” suffers in that it’s the same flavor as “Shirtwaist Fire” and “My Orphanage” but isn’t quite as good. “Utopian Society” is funny and I love the accent. The song is like “My Captivity by Savages” or “Kate Moss” so it ends up getting limited play time with me, being a novelty song. I have to be honest with you that the rest of the album is a little tedious. In the middle. For a long time. I read that you wanted to get back to your roots and I think this album proves that you can never really go home. Not really. And yet the music does mesh well with your other albums so maybe it’s something else. I don’t know. I’ve been spending some time trying to figure out if it’s YOU, of if it’s ME. Maybe I’ve become jaded. I’m wishing for some more cello. I don’t really feel like you’re rocking out on this album, and there something missing. Some extra X factor.

Can I tell you again that there isn’t anybody else I know of anywhere who is doing what you do? I think everyone should listen to your music. I plan to see you when you come to Portland, and no, the love affair isn’t really over. But I’m feeling jaded and blue.

Sister Kinderhook by Rasputina – Filthy Bonnet – 2010
Buy Sister Kinderhook on Amazon

See you next time!