It has been a considerable time since English singer-instrumentalist
Natasha Khan’s last album outing – 4 years to be exact. This The Haunted Man follow-up is another
concept piece, with Khan assuming the persona of ‘The Bride’, a bereaved woman
who loses her husband in a car accident, and embarks on a solemn honeymoon
alone. Whilst the concept conjures up images of popular deadly brides, this
particular bride is far more self-reflective.
Peaking early, ‘Joe’s Dream’ is a tragic track that follows
the accounts of husband ‘Joe’ who has a dream of himself dying; “what does it
mean/ the bad things that I’ve seen?”. It’s a bit Sandra Bullock in
Premonition, but it works. Particularly poignant and spooky, Khan portrays the
waterfall of emotions admirably through her vocal delivery, reminiscent of
former track, ‘Daniel’. ‘In God’s House’ details The Bride waiting at the
church for her lover to arrive, as she slowly realises he’s died in a car crash,
Khan takes this opportunity to hauntingly belt out heart-wrenching verses of ‘Fire,
Fire, Fire’ in her trademark sky-scraping falsetto.
Moving onto mid-album, ‘Sunday Love’ is evocative of ‘Pearl’s
Dream’ and ‘Prescilla’, showing a return of the more classical Bat For Lashes than
the one we have been treated to in previous years. It’s ethereal, and
surprisingly upbeat in tempo for a song crafted in grief, and Khan makes sure
to welcome you into her dreamy pop world where anything can happen, and
everything is acoustically astounding. On ‘Never Forgive The Angels’ Khan
demonstrates how personal and intimate this particular album is, by surrounding
listeners in deafening and atmospheric drum-guitar beats that bewilder the
senses. It should be noted that Khan has a particular knack for creating
enticing music that drowns out the outside world, washing away the immaterial,
and forcing you into a land of self-reflection – and this song is the perfect
example of her flexing her skills as a musical artist.
As we traipse into ‘Close Encounters’, Khan again opts for
intimate and consuming baroque pop, whilst simultaneously showing off some of
the most delicate and haunting classical beats that feature on the entire
album, rising up and unifying perfectly with Khan’s breathy, beautiful
falsetto. A particular gem is when The Bride fantasises about intimate encounters
with her former lover; altogether a bit disturbing, but oddly charming. After all, “You know
that I’ll love you, until the stars don’t shine/ you know that you’ll always
feel this heart of mine” are very touching, personal lyrics, and Khan is
formidable in the emotional departments.
If you thought the album couldn’t get any weirder, then
prepare to be astounded on ‘Widow’s Peak’, a kooky and essentially sing-speak
song that is vivid and dramatic, and for all intents and purposes, may as well
have its own Beyoncé-esque accompanying video. After all, this is an
experience, not just a mere song. It’s almost like you can picture Khan laying
down in the middle of an isolated desert as the moon stands proudly in the sky,
whilst a storm passes over ahead, and rain cascades down a rocky shelter (too
much?). While this is ultimately impressive, it’s after this track that things
get a bit despondent. Tracks start to blend in with one another and we’ve lost
the sense of immediacy and individuality of the beginning of the album, until
we slide back into ‘In Your Bed’ and ‘I Will Love Again’, which changes the
tone. While earlier tracks are reminiscent of a drifting daydream, these are
more solid and grounded in reflection, with Khan’s distinctive voice seeming
more cemented and purposeful.
Overall, whilst at times Khan’s commitment to her carefully
crafted concepts can hinder The Bride’s
full potential as a grieving widow, the ways in which she intertwines her
mesmerising voice with the dark, undercurrent themes more than makes up for it,
creating something that is both seductive and imaginative. While it’s certainly
no Kill Bill, The Bride proves to be haunting and heart-achingly bittersweet.
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