Lisa Germano’s albums always remind me of a car accident—her lyrical stories contain elements that both attract and repel, like she can’t stop picking at certain wounds, even if it hurts a little. Her newest album No Elephants is rife with similar dualities. Germano’s breathless voice is simultaneously ecstatic and on the verge of a meltdown, especially when she sings lyrics like, “All is not well outside.” A multi-instrumentalist, she accompanies herself on piano on many songs, and demonstrates her skillful violin work on “Diamonds.” A brief instrumental, “Dance of the Bees,” finds Lisa combining cell-phone loops and the sounds of bees with guitar feedback to create a strange mix of technology and nature. Once again, Lisa Germano has delivered a euphoric and cathartic record that sticks to the soul. I’ll keep it close to my heart until her next musical gift arrives.
Shank Hall in Milwaukee, WI — April 22, 2013
Lisa Germano | No Elephants, $12.99, amazon.com
By Michael Levine
This review appears in the Feb/Mar 2013 issue of BUST Magazine with Jason Schwartzman. Subscribe now.
