|  | Review:  |  | This is the first new Violet Indiana music since 
                  2001's Killer 
                  Eyes EP. So what have the band been up to in the 
                  interim? Well, guitarist/producer Robin 
                  Guthrie had a solo album. Ms. De Mare? Who knows. Not really 
                  important, i guess. The thing is, there is no significant change 
                  in their sound. This is still lush, slow music based on Guthrie's 
                  tremoloed guitar and De Mare's aching voice. And, actually, 
                  this is a pretty nice EP. There are only three tracks, so let's 
                  look at each. The first song, Beyond the Furr, is also on the LP that was released shortly after this EP.  This is a nice, poppy tune.  It has a good beat, and Guthrie's guitarwork is nice in a typical VI manner.  Actually, this song sounds very Violet Indiana, and i don't mean that as an insult.  Rather, if you have enjoyed their work before, then you'll enjoy this one.  It breaks no new ground, but displays what they do quite well. On Crystal Mountain Guthrie plays several layers of guitar and it sounds 
                  really good with combined strummed acoustic and echoing electric 
                  guitar. De Mare's voice is very light, and, in the middl,e she 
                  does some of that "talking behind the music" thing that she 
                  also did on Jailbird. 
                  The general tone of this song is light, dreamy, and vaguely 
                  jazzy. It's a good tune, and this is non-album, so, until the 
                  next compilation comes out, this is your only source. The EP wraps up with Perfect Day, which is my favorite on the EP. The 
                  guitarwork is achingly slow and very heavily echoed, and the 
                  song builds slowly to a wonderful climax with De Mare's voice 
                  in three distinct layers, adding lots of depth to the tune. 
                  (Gee, De Mare sings backup and counter melody to herself. I 
                  wonder where Guthrie learned to 
                  do that?) Anyway, this is a really lovely song. On the whole, this is a fun little EP.  No weak tracks on it at all, and it picks up nicely where Violet Indiana left off.  Fans will enjoy this tremendously. |  |