Ghost Notes is the long awaited solo album from Genevieve Maynard, guitarist
from Stella One Eleven and bassist in Bughouse. Although she's played with
these two well respected bands, there has never been a real opportunity
for Maynard to have a vehicle of her own - Ghost Notes is that vehicle.
The album comes after the critically acclaimed EP "The Genevieve Maynard
Trio" released in May 2002. Four of the tracks on Ghost Notes are taken
from the EP which, if you own the EP dampens the second half of the album
where the EP songs are all found. Yet to the unitiated the EP tracks - "Johnny
Lee", "Mackeral Sky", "Fifteen Letters" and "Steer Clear" all work well
in context to the other songs. "Fifteen Letters" is almost entirely electronic
bar drums and Maynard's vocals.
The opening track on Ghost Notes is "Jackie In The Morning" - which is
also the first song released off the album. This track is different to
the other more melodic songs on Ghost Notes. Maynard almost growls the
verses before hitting the soaring refrain "It's a shame that he would wake
you up to make himself laugh".
The standout tracks on Ghost Notes are the more simple songs that Maynard
(who also produced) has built up and layered. "Bulletproof" begins with
a simple accoustic guitar and vocal, by the end of the song there is a
sprawling mass of voices (provided by the Marrickville Spackfilla Choir
and includes members of Stella One Eleven, Nitocris and The Shout Brothers). "Aurora
Borealis" features Stella One Eleven vocalist Cindy Ryan but for a change
it is Genevieve taking the lead vocals. This is the most stripped back
song on Ghost Notes and stands out for that reason. |