Album Review: ‘Interstellar’ by Frankie Rose

8/10

Audio: “Gospel/Grace”

Frankie Rose’s name shouldn’t be something new for music listeners. She’s a former founding member of Brooklyn’s Vivian Girls, and occasional vocalist/instrumentalist for the post-punk band Crystal Stilts. In 2010, Frankie Rose and the Outs, her solo band, released a self-titled, full-length debut that received generally positive reviews. But while Frankie Rose and the Outs trod a safe line by avoiding drastic evolutions in sound, Frankie Rose, who is now recording and performing under that name, has brushed off those cobwebs in favor of a sound that is much more grandiose. This latest effort, Interstellar, is like a delightful trip through a wormhole, where nostalgia meets the future in a manner that is simply refreshing.

Synth-pop seems to be having a coup d’état this year as acts like Grimes, who recently released the plushy future-pop sounds of Visions, have pushed 80’s-esque pop to the musical forefront. The same goes for Frankie Rose, whose combination of synth-pop and wistful guitar riffs amalgamate to create the rueful soundscapes of Interstellar. The title track opens the door to listeners as a hushed, unhurried synthesizer chord to welcomes ears. But after a minute of relaxing space travel, Rose turns on the hyperdrive as a distorted bass line and thundering bass drums. In many respects, the title track serves as microcosm for the album as a whole: elegant precision, unexpected turns, and immense environments of instrumentation.

Interstellar, much like space, is ever-expanding its boundaries. In a Slumberland Records press release, Rose says, “I knew I wanted a huge sounding record. Big highs, big lows, and clean.” She delivers on each promise, as fuzziness is held to a minimum, and girl-pop is all but thrown out the window. Throughout the album, Rose experiments with vocal layers, imposing drums, and addictive croons. On the superb “Gospel/Grace”, Rose’s vocal layers are inviting and graceful as the borders of the song expand to conclude in a jaw-dropping coda with a guitar lick that’ll find itself repeated in your head. The same goes for tracks like “Daylight Sky” and “The Fall” that bellow out string arrangements and monolithic landscapes. But Rose also finds tranquility, as is the case with “Pair of Wings”, which is a simplistic yet gorgeous call towards personal liberty. Rose fulfills her goals of expanding her sound, assuring that no pigeonholing will be occurring this time around.

Although interstellar perspectives inspire many of the albums motifs and sounds, nostalgia creeps its way in providing an engrossing counterbalance. Just as the track “Interstellar” ends, Rose taps into her new wave soul to pull out “Know Me”, a fleetingly and delectably sheepish disregard for what others might call “talking shit.” She coos, “…Don’t know me, I hear what they say/ It doesn’t hurt me, I’d rather be deaf.” On “Night Swim”, she channels her inner Echo and The Bunnymen as the reverb is turned all the way up with searing squeals and echoed riffs. These tracks, though not necessarily as forward sounding as others in Interstellar, are still first-rate songs that other musicians would be jealous of.

The balance of a multifaceted pop approach is more than evident on this record. Rose wastes no time here as she finds herself creating an album that is filled with spacey melodies and a reverb-laden attitude. Interstellar is a tremendous album that lives up to the hype it received over the past several weeks. So get to your computer or local record store and cop this album, because it is as grand as it is pleasant.