ALBUM REVIEW: All Born Screaming - St. Vincent

Annie Clark, known by her stage name St. Vincent, possesses a remarkable shapeshifting ability that defies conventional music genre boundaries. Her seventh studio album, All Born Screaming, arrives with a formidable presence. Born in Oklahoma, Clark's early days had her performing with her college band The Skull-Fuckers. Her artistic journey progressed as she joined The Polyphonic Spree and later Sufjan Stevens' touring band.

Since her debut in 2007, Clark has served a series of albums and EPs that consistently displayed her evolving artistry. In 2021, she presented the world with Daddy's Home, a concept album, inspired by her father's release from prison. It represented a profound exploration of 1970s soul and funk-pop, channeling an aesthetic that even Prince would admire. Daddy's Home put Annie Clark into the center of creative circles, earning her some much deserved recognition and her third Grammy Award. The album has garnered unanimous praise, achieving perfect scores from an array of critics and securing its place as one of the most acclaimed albums to date.

All Born Screaming has a much more primal, almost visceral energy to it. With Dave Grohl (Nirvana and Foo Fighters), Josh Freese (Foo Fighters) and Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint) as some of the people behind the drums, St. Vincent delivers an exquisite story of pain and chaos. The album opens with Hell Is Near, which, despite its initial pop-inflected sound, establishes the groundwork for a dark and melodious journey. This opening track evokes memories of 1970s progressive rock with its ethereal vocal delivery, deep bass lines, and layered instrumentation. Following this, Reckless captivates with its tender, heartbreaking vocals and poignant lyrics: "I'll tear you limb from limb or I'll fall in love." Broken Man stands out as an auditory spectacle, featuring heavy guitar sound, dynamic percussion, emotional vocals, and snarky lyrics such as "I can make your kingdom come." Dave Grohl returns to the drums for Flea, a track that leans towards the heavier spectrum of the album's sound. St. Vincent's sings as a "hungry little flea," artfully exploring themes of parasitic relationships with a backdrop of reverbed guitars and synthesizers. Big Time Nothingis an infectious blend of dance-pop and disco elements, characterized by irresistibly funky synthesizers. 

If the first half of the album was discussing the hopelessness of the human condition, Violent Times is here to serve as the grand finale of that theme, as a grandeur sequence from a film noir. The Power's Out and So Many Planets diverge slightly, leaning towards a pop sensibility, with the latter offering an intriguing fusion of pop and reggae rhythms. Sweetest Fruit stands as a reverent tribute to the late musician and producer SOPHIE, transporting the listener in an ethereal, cosmic embrace. The album's magnum opus is the intricate yet indulgent eponymous track, featuring Welsh artist Cate Le Bon. This seven-minute track starts with a bright introduction, gradually transitioning into an ambient, choral soundscape reminiscent of a church choir. It is against this backdrop that the listener is reminded that we are truly All Born Screaming.

Review by: Naya Folla