Little Scream: The Golden Record

Little Scream: The Golden Record
Little Scream sounds like a band name but it is actually the moniker of one woman, Laurel Sprengelmeyer. Her debut full length is The Golden Record and in true Montreal fashion, the record features a slew of local musicians including members of Arcade Fire, Bell Orchestre, Snailhouse, Silver Mt. Zion, and Stars.
The community element has become an important part of Canadian records over the last decade or so. Bands like Broken Social Scene and The New Pornographers are completely born out of the concept. Unfortunately, Little Scream does not make anything quite as fun or as catchy as either of those two bands.
Her music reminds me of a boring Feist. “Black Cloud” has a sparse folk feel to it that reminds me of Lucinda Williams mixed with Joanna Newson. The song is a little bland for my taste but nonetheless well done.
The track “Cannons” is more my speed. The song is the closest to Arcade Fire that Little Scream gets; it mixes baroque pop with arena-sized indie rock to some great conclusions. Unfortunately it is really the only track of its kind on the album.
In the end, The Golden Record felt a little too artsy for me. The album ends with three solid minutes of the sound of rain; if that does not give you a hint of how artsy the record is, nothing will.
Rating: 5.3/10
MP3: Little Scream “Cannons”
Buy: iTunes or Amazon