Ape House
Veda Hille has a long-standing reputation as an art-pop singer-songwriter though at times she’s proven to be an acquired taste. This Riot Life is vintage Hille (arty bold and intangibly British Columbian) and while it’s not necessarily more accessible than her previous work it is so strong and compelling that it will likely appeal to listeners who haven’t been drawn to Hille’s work before.
A good chunk of This Riot Life ’s songs draw from church hymns (though Hille has explained that she wasn’t approaching the source material from a particularly Christian point of view) giving them a unique heft. The songs were also born out of an especially trying period of Hille’s life so even when she’s not dabbling in hymnals she’s exploring some intense emotions. That doesn’t mean that she’s serving up a downer — for the most part the music is quite jubilant. From the uplifting opener “Luckylucky” through to the narrative “Ace of the Nazarene” and the sweet and funny Japanese bathhouse drama “Soapland Serenade” every note of the album seems carefully considered and expertly constructed. Make no mistake — this is fine art but Hille and her band inject so much melody and playfulness that it’s also just plain good listening.
