Lia Ices: Grown Unknown

Lia Ices: Grown Unknown
In a world where chanteuses are a dime-a-dozen, it is hard to stand out. On her sophomore album, Lia Ices attempts to stand out through sheer strength of voice alone.
Lia Ices has the type of voice that can stand on its own. Her voice is haunting yet strong; it reminds me of Vashti Bunyan. But a voice can only take you so far, the voice needs to be applied to the appropriate genre. This is where Lia Ices seems to pigeonhole herself.
Lia Ices seems to use the same basic formula for every song on Grown Unknown. The songs are all slow plodding ballads with a piano-base. This immediately calls to mind other female artists like Tori Amos and Fiona Apple. The thing that makes one song standout from another seems to be what other instruments surround the basic piano/vocal formula. The track “Grown Unknown” stands out because of its Kaki King-esque guitar and its intricate hand clap beat. “Little Marriage” makes a name for itself with its subtle organ hum and tribal tambourine line.
But in the end, the basic formula stays the same and with very little variation in tempo the album feels a bit laggy. Lia Ices’s voice is beautiful and can carry a good portion of the album but it might behoove her to try a Lykke Li “I’m Good, I’m Gone” type song just to break up the monotony.
Rating: 7.0/10
MP3: Lia Ices “Grown Unknown
Buy: iTunes or Amazon

Leave a Reply