Album Mini-review: Homme — Homme
File Next to: KT Tunstall, The Roches, Radiohead
With electric guitars (run through a Leslie speaker cabinet and other assorted effects) and close yet vocal-acrobatic harmonies, the experimental yet inviting sonic approach of this Chicago duo suggests an otherworldly combination of Nirvana and The Roches. Just when you think they’re going to be some kind of parlor-room arty act, swirling backward guitar and stomping bass and drums come crashing in, shattering the reverie. Homme’s strategy is to lure listeners in with a fetching melody and arrangement, and then – at least some of the time – bludgeon them with unexpected rocking-out. Their knowing musical use of shade and light makes the jarring changes welcome. Singer-songwriters Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart combine cleverly-edited vocalizations – check the bridge on “Fingerprints” – with alluring melodies, and save for a guest guitarist on one track, they do it all themselves.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.