Trementina – 810 LP

Trementina refers to a turpentine-like solvent. The Chilean based band found the word unique because it is both open-ended as well as defining an agent used for erasing art. Their third and latest release 810, is the number of miles from Santiago to where the album was recorded. Feel free to drop these trivia tidbits into any conversation and amaze your friends.

For being only three members, this band stacks layer upon layer of their dense, swirling, and chorus-laden sound atop one another. The sounds harkens back to the golden era of said sound, which can be pleasing to the ears. The problem is that vocalist Vanessa Cea’s light and delicate soprano is often buried beneath the guitars and keyboards, rendering her most lovely instrument a bit lost in the echo. That’s a shame, and one that would seem to be easily fixed with some different production.

A good example is “Fall Over Myself” wherein the band pulls back a bit during the verses to allow her angelic voice the prominence it deserves. It’s the album’s best cut. “All I Wanted” is another nice number, sounding a bit like Mazzy Starr. “Please, Let’s Go Away” is a cheerful opener with a catchy bop-bop-bop hook and a ringing, repetitive guitar melody, but Cea’s voice has to compete against so much sound that it takes a bit away from what could be a truly great song. Unfortunately, this happens a bit too much for my taste.

Of the nine songs, barely covering a half hour, they include two instruments that are heavy on the atmosphere and light on everything else. I wonder why they are on here at all, but given that I don’t agree with the mixing or the instrumentals, maybe I’m simply missing the band’s intention. What I take away is a lot of potential that is missing some crucial finishing.

Oh, and one final note; the band had to cancel their U.S. tour due to problems with entering the country, thanks to that moronic Cheeto residing in the White House.