Tre Lux- A Stranger Gathering

Tre Lux - A Stranger Gathering

I recall my first drum set - a black and blue Frankenstein 
abomination held together loosely with duct tape, crazy glue and 
bailing wire.  Alas, I only wish this mismatched collection of cover 
songs held together as well.  But don't get me wrong - it still gets 
a whole-hearted recommendation!  Nearly a decade after splitting with 
composer Susan Wallace, vocalist Tina Root of Switchblade Symphony 
finally unveils "Tre Lux" - a lighter, wholly-more-accessible 
project.  And unlikely as the combination might initially seem, 
Tina's quirky and sassy vocals sound amazing atop retro '80s new wave 
stylings.  If only the entire album fell into that genre.  The twelve 
song debut hops between odd, unlikely song choices - and genres - 
like a cruel jukebox.  Tina's voice sounds uncomfortably out of place 
amid college rock hits and acoustic ballads, especially the Rolling 
Stones song "Wild Horses."  (Pick up The Sunday's "Blind" album for a 
gentle remake of the song, incidentally.)  But where her voice 
shines, it is truly magical.  The handful of dark and new wave tracks 
are infectious, including "What's On Your Mind" and "I Know There's 
Something Going On."   The album is crowned, however by her cover of 
Depeche Mode's "Never Let  Me Down."  More approachable and playful 
than the original, the song truly takes on a life of its own.  With 
brilliant production, flirty vocals and cascading synth keyboards, 
this song alone is worth the price of admission.  Convince yourself 
you are buying a single with eleven b-sides as you rush out to buy 
the album, and you won't be disappointed.  I challenge you to take 
the song off repeat play for at least a week.  - Adrian James