CLementine

If you are looking for music that will crawl up under your skin and stroke your bones delicately like a weird uncle might while you sleep then I recommend this album.

Vocals that feel like semi-sober Lou Reed rants, accompanied by instrumentals that allow you to want to watch the love of your life leave, forever.

Nathan Daniels of CLementine has accomplished something that is not very easy: acoustic love stories that aren’t cum drenched in patheticness. I’ll admit, his voice is quite flat at times, but I believe that it is only “flat” if it sounds bad, and this is far from it.

I think it enforces his style even deeper. I know that sounds cliche, but it really works well with the instruments that are written and produced so gently. A very beautiful sound is created by this Montreal native. And by the way, for those of you who don’t live in Canada or don’t know this, Montreal is good for 3 things: women, beer, and music, and that’s coming from a diehard Toronto Maple Leafs fan who has all the right reasons to burn Montreal to the ground, so take my word for it.

In short, this album has given me the heebie jeebies crackling down to my finger loins, while at the same time (d)raping my skull with inspiration. Looking forward to more from CLemintine in years to come.

One more thing. As I publish this review I have to pick what category of music it lies under, and my favourite part about this process is that it clarifies for me when I love a band because if I can’t pinpoint what genre it is it pleases me ever so much.

And another thing, take his word for it: if you want a more advanced experience on this album listen to it through headphones. - Stove

One of the most beautiful and compelling albums that I’ve had the pleasure of listening to lately comes from CLementine, a Montreal-based band composed of Nathan Daniels (vocals, guitar) and Chloe Buchskins (drums, samples, atmosphere). CLementine’s latest album, Kimberly ’93, mixes stripped-down, acoustic folk-rock with experimental soundscapes and nostalgic storytelling of love and loss.

It could be argued that folk songs about heartbreak and love aren’t exactly a unique idea, but it’s the way the tracks come together on this album that make them stand out from the rest. The band themselves stated it best by describing Kimberly ’93 as such:

“This record is about love and love lost told through the eyes of a young girl (Kimberly) from Utah. Her story is delivered in three ways; the record itself: 7 songs running at 51 minutes chock-full of layered samples and a thick atmosphere throughout. The track list is hidden in a short story to give further description and a short film projected live to visually support her tale.”

The songwriting on the album is top-notch, which allows you to become completely immersed in the stories being conveyed, and the vocals, while a bit rough around the edges, have a lot of raw emotion behind them, which definitely works in their favor. This is the type of album that you want to listen to when you can just sit back with a good pair of headphones and allow yourself to get lost in the music. Or perhaps while driving alone late at night. Either way, it is an album made for quiet times of introspection. I am really looking forward to hearing more of what Daniels and Butchskins have in store for us in the future. - Sara Torvik

Though people’s life stories tend to most often be told through film or literature, it is not unheard of for them to be told through song instead. Though it’s a somewhat rare occurrence, Montreal band CLementine is a somewhat rare breed themselves, and makes the task look easy in their latest release, Kimberly ’93.

It must first be said that this album is most definitely not for everyone. The band is extremely experimental, using unconventional sounds and mediocre vocals throughout. For example, the first track on this album, “A Woman’s Beauty”, begins by sounding like part of a horror film score, and then progresses into a monologue accompanied by beautiful yet tragic-sounding chords. The only other track with the same format on this album is the last song, “Still Looking for that Lighter”. The remaining tracks, despite abiding by different formats, are equally as unconventional.

The lyrics of each of the songs are very repetitive and very straightforward, not containing many hidden meanings behind them. As promised, we can see a story forming from start to finish, and we get an idea of the triumphs and obstacles Kimberly faces throughout her life in Utah. It’s a simple story and is therefore relatable, to an extent.

The album as a whole should not be listened to if you have a short attention span, as many of the songs are lengthy and can become stagnant. If you are looking for complicated musical riffs, they won’t be found here. If you are in the mood for an experience that almost feels more like watching a movie than listening to an album, I would recommend you give this CD a chance.

The sound editing was incredible, combining songs with monologues from plays and radio wave clips. The emotional tone of each song ranged from happy to depressed to afraid, and made for a bit of an uneasy listen at times.

Overall, I recommend this album only for those wanting a truly different listening experience, though the music itself is, in comparison to the other stuff I’ve listened to, far from the best. - FRANCA G. MIGNACCA