Ali Welford reviews the extraordinary new record from Jehnny Beth
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20L07 Music
Released: 12.06.20
I’m loathe to draw comparisons between Jehnny Beth’s solo debut and Savages – partly since the former feels every bit like an entity unto itself, but equally as they’d do her (excellent) band no favours. A stunning artistic awakening, To Love Is To Live showcases an artist liberated from form and convention, embracing throbbing bass and burgeoning electronics together with decorous brass and excerpts of poetry.
Results-wise, we’re left to absorb everything from brazen sexuality (Flower, Heroine) to exquisite, showstopping beauty (French Countryside), while the likes of I’m The Man and How Could You eschew deeper sentiment in search of riotous, visceral thrills. Sparing no sonic nor emotional expense, it’s a triumph for which anything less than full marks would feel incongruous. An extraordinary record.
