She's from Estonia! E-S-T-O-N-I-A! And don't you forget it. This
makes her creepy, unpredictable, and prone to fits of musical
spontaneity. Despite her uncanny physical similarities to fellow
blonde rocker Avril Lavigne, newcomer Kerli has an earnest and raw
vulnerability to the truth of her music.
It is the presentation of Kerli, however, that spins the greatest web
of lies about this wonderful performer. If you believe the packaging,
Kerli is a gothic porcelain doll, wrapped in misery and strife and
haunted by her own emotions, clutching onto any false sense of
security she can. But as Kerli co-wrote every single track on the
album, one listen through will shatter that trite, yet very
marketable, painted image. Kerli desperately sings for help, her airy
yet solid vocals belting out that "Love don't live here anymore" on
her debut single, "Love Is Dead," which is also the title of her
album. The video depicts an aged and wrinkled, graying and frazzled
Kerli, from the shoulders up, alone and singing on a scrolling
backdrop of nature and effects. As the video progresses, slowly but
surely she appears younger and younger until her hair is smooth and
golden, her skin youthful and healthy. No climax, no story, no
relation to the content of the song, but the simple beauty of the
video aligns perfectly with the simple beauty in the music and Kerli's
voice. Bleach-blond damaged rocker I can believe. Dark and gloomy
goth girl? I definitely don't buy that.
Dancefloor friendly?
Her second single, "Walking on Air," is about the girl from Estonia, trapped and isolated by her differences and striving to be so much higher than she is. The instrumentation is gloomy and fits the album packaging perfectly, while the lyrics definitely embody the spirit of overcoming your obstacles. No matter how strange and secluded you are, you can achieve. For a goth girl, this message is extremely out of place, yet somehow fits perfectly among the Halloween that is "Walking on Air." Island Records made a fantastic move regarding "Walking," as they issued club mixes from Ralphi Rosario & Craig J, Josh Harris, Lindbergh Palace, and Armin Van Buuren. Ralphi and Craig take the track in a soulless, circuit style meant to pack the floor but not really in any deference to the original. Josh's mix adds a little something extra, definitely involving adequate floor appeal but also making a more palatable track. Utilizing a beat similar to Christina Aguilera's "Keeps Gettin' Better" and Britney Spear's "Womanizer," the Lindbergh Palace mix strays from their typical style, a lush and poppy backdrop for Kerli's yearning vocals. The winner here is Armin Van Buuren's club creeper, taking some of the best vocal elements from the track and transforming them into trance beauty. The only fault I find with Armin's mix is the fact that the chorus has mostly disappeared.The rest of Love Is Dead vacillates between styles. "The Creationist"
is an upbeat romp through good-natured Estonian cheer where Kerli,
sounding very much like earlier Bjork, informs us that she is a
creationist. Good to know! "Creepshow," possibly the album's darkest
track, playing along like the dark and twisted carousel ride we all
wanted to hear when first seeing the album packaging. Near the end
plays the dark electronic number "Strange Boy" which is one of my
personal favorites. There are other light and dark moments
interspersed throughout, making this a well-rounded journey through
the lost and lonely child of Estonia. E-S-T-O-N-I-A!
Summary
'Love Is Dead' is one of the best and most unique major label offerings of 2008, and hardly something to miss. With Kerli's emergence into the dance scene, I predict that this is the album to watch.Released July 8, 2008 on Island Records.
