I Am

Album review

On the follow-up to 2001's Sweet Heart Fever, Emma Louise Niblett (aka Scout Niblett) bestows listeners with more of her irreverent, lo-fi creations. The second song, "No-ones Wrong (Giricocola)," features some bluesy, early Cat Power-like brash instrumentation and a relentlessly focused vocal delivery, serving listeners with the warning that this 13-track disc is sure to be a bumpy ride, and it is. Early on and throughout, Niblett offers acoustic solo ventures, and intriguing ventures into indie rock with guitarist Chris Saligoe and drummer Pete Schreiner. Her sly, relaxed vocals on eerie efforts like "Until Death" and "Fire Flies" (featuring a whimsical eukelele) quickly stand out as Niblett's strength. "I'll Be a Prince (Shhh)" and "Boy" surely conjure up comparisons to PJ Harvey, but such a correlation is not fair to either artist. Niblett's uncanny knack for creating dizzyingly original and poetic songs keeps listeners interested simply because they know she is not one to give in to convention. Wildly creative guitar lines on "Drummer Boy" might serve as the crescendo of this rollercoaster of an album, as the song also includes Niblett's most feverish vocals of the disc. "It's All for You" is an offbeat, unconventional drums-and-vocals riot that encompasses Niblett's spirit. The title track ends the disc and serves as an exclamation mark on Niblett's "love me or leave me" approach. As the eukelele chants behind her, she belts out a repetitive series of poetic affirmations, solidifying herself as one of the most unique voices in independent music. The British Niblett embraced American indie avant-garde on I Am. Steve Albini recorded I Am at Electrical Audio Studio and Secretly Canadian Records released the disc in September 2003.
© Stephen Cramer /TiVo