Edith Frost
Telescopic

In the small cluster of introverted American singer-songwriters of the '90s, the Texan Edith Frost is certainly to be counted. She arrived relatively late to the "limelight" of the New York scene and has only 3 albums to her credit. "Telescopic" is the second and, probably, her masterpiece.
The style is decidedly intimate, reflective, undoubtedly influenced by the existential lullabies of Lisa Germano. The strong point is definitely her voice: crystalline, cold, and ethereal, exquisitely used to weave moments of rare emotional intensity. The arrangements are highly refined and include violin, accordion, trombone, and mandolin, without ever becoming fussy or redundant. The meticulous care and tasteful dosing give a sensation of truly significant elegance.

When "Walk On The Fire" starts, one is admittedly a bit taken aback by the layer of sounds that traverses the piece: prominently interwoven guitar feedback punctuated by a monotonous drum rhythm, and a voice that seems to come from a distant dream, certainly slightly "treated".
Edith begins to reveal her cards with "Light", a hypnotic melody of romantic violin and languid, sad, and monotone mandolin, marked by her timid singing.
The sky brightens with the following "Very Earth", almost a self-ironic joke with its Hawaiian guitar meowing and purring to a slightly jazzy tempo. Sweetest. The alternation of light and dark, even within the same song, characterizes the whole album, always teetering between sun and rain.
And it is decidedly grey the sky that looms over "Telescopic", masterpiece of the collection placed halfway through for a reason. A chilling, paranoid, spectral melody, characterized by a monotone guitar and a menacing viola that peeks out now and then in this Freudian nightmare. And over everything still the voice, never so beautiful, dreamlike, spine-tingling.
"Through The Trees" is another chant for acoustic guitar and voice alone. Very sad and desolate, it sketches infinite and distressing nocturnal spaces that leave you naked before pain. Truly moving.

Once you have fully savored the bittersweet taste of this splendid work, you can't help but applaud and feel that sense of intimate satisfaction pleasantly born of good emotions.