Mitten

Since listening to Mitten for the first time, I’ve gone through so many cycles of Love and Hate it’s becoming increasingly hard to determine how I feel. So here’s a schizophrenic breakdown on the band.

Intentionally crass, Mitten attempts to offend at every instant. If not the drudge of the oscillating bassline and the clumsy plod of the beats then the level of lyricism should send you packing, “Way back when I was a midget and Kylie was still selling her arse instead of her cancer,” on track pumpkinpeanutbutternutsquash for example. Additionally, the same track is cut short by a studio malfunction, some profanities which have been inserted in to presumably show her detest for the process as if not even she is gaining a modicum of pleasure. On track, Forest Body the lyrics are mangled and contorted making poor reference of that Scottish play, “because I’m the king of Scotland and Scotland’s made of magic” It’s so far up its avant guard arse that it’s…

…It’s brilliant. Giorgiana Violante, the sole member, is tender and tarnished, angry and afraid. She shocks and people respond. She wants people to walk out of the show. She wants to provoke a reaction, when I hear her songs everything becomes more intensified. The provocation in the music and to a certain degree in the lyrics draws in the listener and exposes the more affecting moments. Tracks such as Wolverina and Pixie Haunted are wonderful jaunts into her inner workings. The high art referrencing doesn’t disguise her own efforts but provide greater insight into her as an artist.

It would be a gross injustice to say that the audience is never considered but it could be claimed that the sound isn’t universally appealing. Find out for yourself via her myspace or through buying one of her CD-R’s. Live shows are a rarity so keep your eyes peeled – there’s nothing like walking out of a show.