Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Eleni Mandell, a native of Los Angeles, has a nice line in bohemian-chick stream-of-sensuousness on this second album, breathlessly celebrating irresistible carnal impulses in a way that inevitably brings to mind PJ Harvey. "It was a cold blue sofa and an oriental rug/ Well, your man got down and your man's on me/ Let's go!" she exults in the opening track, "Pauline", cruelly rubbing salt into a cuckold's wounds as jazzy trumpet and trombone negotiate a swaggering guitar riff straight out of the B-52s' style book. The air of predatory sexuality extends throughout much of Thrill, with Mandell boasting about how she's going to snare herself a millionaire with her "1970 Red Chevelle", punningly blurring the line between the carnal and fatal interpretations of "Taking You Out", and ruthlessly mapping out her campaign of amorous conquest in "He Thinks He's in Love", in which bongoes and marimba lend an exotic air to the cheap organ and loping double bass. Whichever hapless victim falls into her clutches is probably due for a rough ride, judging by "No Good, No More", the lyrical equivalent of premenstrual tension: "I won't be good any more," she warns; "I'll cramp around ferociously/ I'll laugh awhile and slightly howl/ Until I find you pity me." A protégée of the Viper Room founder Chuck E Weiss, Mandell has found her perfect partner in guitarist Brian Kehew, whose arrangements here marshal an intriguing palette of guitars, keyboards, percussion, pedal steel, marimba, zither, accordion, horns and strings into intriguing shapes whose subtlety complements the singer's exuberance perfectly.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments