Contrary to what it's title may suggest, Au Revoir Simone’s new album, Still Night, Still Light, is not one that will keep you partying till dawn. However, those who are familiar with the band certainly won’t be disappointed by this new release. Still Night, Still Light continues with the formula established over the last two albums, combining lovely vocal harmonies, minimalist beats, and gorgeously simple melodies in a captivating manner.
Truly, that’s where Au Revoir Simone’s uniqueness lies: using minimalist sounds to cosset the listener into aural bliss. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the opening track, 'Another Likely Story'. The buildup in this song is so gradual that it’s almost hard to catch. The closing track, 'Tell Me', provides an exit to the album that is just as unassuming. The instrumentation is fairly straightforward; most songs using only keyboards and a drum machine to create a foundation for the vocals. It is here that Au Revoir Simone truly stand out. All three women in the group contribute their quietly beautiful voices throughout the album, usually trading off lead vocals, but occasionally all singing in harmony. As the focus of the album's sound, the vocals provide a near perfect complement to the group's minimalist playing. 'All Or Nothing,' the most vocally tight song on the album, provides a strong example. It takes just one listen to be gently carried off by the three members' crooning the song's sweetly melancholic chorus. The group's greatest feat on Still Night might be the way they manage to craft songs that are so enchanting out of such simple elements.
While most of Still Night is made up of slow-paced tracks, it occasionally changes up the tempo with an upbeat selection here or there. However, the album always maintains the combination of minimalism and bittersweetness that has become the band's hallmark. 'Shadows', which follows 'Another Likely Story', marks the beginning of a dichotomy between the album's gentler tracks and it's more upbeat sections. 'Knight of Wands' feels somewhat like a nighttime version of 'Hurricanes' from Verses of Comfort, Assurance & Salvation. 'Anywhere You Looked' is more upbeat, and although it’s not exactly the type of song that will get your head banging, it would not be out of place at a chilled-out dance party.
At times, the dream-like quality of Au Revoir Simone's music belies the serious nature of their lyrics, providing an interesting contrast between sound and subject. Despite the sense of sweet naivety exuded by the group's vocals, many of their songs address romantic relationships in a surprisingly unclichéd and adult manner. For example, on 'The Last One', the ethereal melody is accompanied by a soft voice reasoning, “Before you ask me again, you’d better think it over/Is this what you wanted in life?/I'm the last one”. This subtle contrast between the lyrics and their presentation only lends to the appeal of the group's sound.
Still Night, Still Light isn’t an album that will change anyone's mind about Au Revoir Simone. Though it’s a quality collection of songs, and probably Au Revoir Simone’s best work so far, it doesn’t represent any major new developments in their aesthetic – rather, it’s a continuation of the formula that has worked for them in the past. The Bird of Music may have been slightly different in its approach to instrumentation, but really, Au Revoir Simone’s overall sound isn't terribly different at any point in their discography. Those who weren't drawn the group's previous efforts will likely have the same aversion to Still Night, Still Light, but for those who loved The Bird of Music and Verses of Comfort, this album will come as a treat.
Track List
1. Another Likely Story
2. Shadows
3. All Or Nothing
4. Knight Of Wands
5. The Last One
6. Trace A Line
7. Only You Can Make You Happy
8. Take Me As I Am
9. Anywhere You Looked
10. Organized Scenery
11. We Are Here
12 Tell Me
