No difficult second album syndrome for Anna Calvi. The Twickenham lass’ sophomore effort, One Breath is, if anything, even stronger than the 2011 debut which had Nick Cave in raptures. Recorded in France’s Black Box studios, with John Congleton (The Walkmen, Modest Mouse, Explosions In The Sky) behind the production desk, this is the album her eponymous debut promised she could deliver.
Opener, ‘Suddenly’, begins proceedings with a flourish: what starts as a whispered confessional quickly morphs into a maelstrom of crashing cymbals, thumped drums and a theatrical singalong chorus that’s probably the catchiest thing she has recorded to date.
‘Eliza’ proves that those early PJ Harvey comparisons were well founded. A barrelling rocker of a song, it’s all pummelled drums, crashing chords and dramatic vocals. Similarly, ‘Tristan’ is like a secret meeting between Polly Jean and Kate Bush in a dark forest on the winter solstice, its cascading chorus living long in the memory after the last note fades. ‘Cry’ flits fitfully around the bleary heart of love, with off-kilter Tex-Mex undertones, before exploding into fiery blasts of red hot guitar. The sultry ‘Love Of My Life’ grows from a purr to a growl when the need arises.
It’s not all blistering riot grrrl rock ‘n’ roll, however. ‘Piece By Piece’ employs a subtler spectrum of electro beats, weird grinds and groans, alongside the breathiest of vocals; and the title track is built on a bed of warm electronica and pulsing bass. Meanwhile, the haunting laments of ‘Sing To Me’ and the string-filled ‘Carry Me Over’ will melt your cockles, while the lovely ‘Bleed Into Me’ is the kind of funereal dirge it’s ok to adore, a song which has that rare ‘going to grow into your favourite song’ vibe.
While her scintillating debut was perhaps a little too much in thrall to her, admittedly stellar, influences, One Breath sees Calvi broadening her palette, with devastating effect. This is one of those albums you’ll return to over the months to come – and find something new and wonderful inhabiting its dark spaces.