CD Review: Frida Hyvonen, Silence Is Wild (Secretly Canadian)

Nov 19, 2008 2:39 PM

Lush voice with barbed lyrics
Hearing Frida Hyvonen's gorgeous, angelic voice is almost as revelatory as processing her lyrics. Her words are resonant and crisp—blanketing her economical, tinkering piano lines and simple drums. Hyvonen's real, neither a diva nor tortured soul, and powerful without gross sentiment. "My Cousin," a status check on a long-term relationship, milks complex feelings from simple couch surfing. On the blunt "Pony," a blend of breezy keys, Hyvonen is more stick than carrot when it comes to power dynamics, and "Dirty Dancing," a retro girl-group groove, sneaks a reference to the movie that's poignant, not ironic. Unlike some other female singers, it's Hyvonen's honest, savage wordplay and delivery, not her own life, that provide the drama.—Patrick Sisson [3.5 out of 5 stars]

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