Dot Allison, "We Are Science"

Mantra
I became intrigued with the idea of hearing Dot Allison's new recordwhen I read a quote from her citing Psychic TV as a band she reallyenjoys. I already owned her debut solo album, 'Afterglow,' which Ifound to be a guilty pleasure of a sultry, yet simple, pop record. So,the notion that she takes influence from PTV left the impression on methat 'We Are Science' might bear a reflection of the cult legend. Well,I didn't really notice such an influence, but I can report thatAllison's new record is a step away from the mainstream, radio-friendlyleanings of her last album. It kicks off with "We're Only Science,"full of low, throbbing beats, exotic synth-y touches and sexy vocals,and based on this, I was actually expecting a lot from the remainingtracks. While not a complete let down, the rest of the album is not aswell-developed as the opening cut. "Substance," which seems likesomewhat of an attempt to cash in on the current "electroclash" trend,is nonetheless catchy. "You Can Be Replaced" and "Strung Out" embracesome of the same straightforward pop aesthetic found on 'Afterglow,'and remain enjoyable, but unfortunately, the six other tracks arelargely forgettable. They're either slow and sappy or just plainboring. The US version of the album comes with two remixes, one of"Substance" by Felix da Housecat and one of "We're Only Science" byKeith Tenniswood of Two Lone Swordsmen (who also assisted in thealbum's production), both of which turn the originals into cheesy housemusic and are borderline tacky. Dot Allison strikes me as a genuinelytalented vocalist (she formerly fronted early '90s trip hop outfit OneDove) and songwriter. 'We Are Science' is a demostration of thedevelopment of her own style, but she still seems to have a long way togo.

samples:

• We're Only Science
• Strung Out
• Substance (Felix da Housecat remix)