Rykarda Parasol
For Blood and Wine
Rykarda Parasol

Rykarda Parasol follows a starling debut album with a long-awaited new effort that's just as great. She calls her music 'rock noir' and that suits it well, it's brooding and dark but suspenseful like a thriller.

"A Drinking Song" charges along and lets her spin her magic with great finesse. "Hold Back the Night" is a delicate ballad that's given weight by Parasol's femme fatale delivery. She's really a striking chanteuse in the best sense of the word. The lyrics are every noir also. "Oh My Blood" is just as compelling, Parasol singing like a banshee before a sudden death. It continues her fascination with complex matters cunningly. If she has a touch of P.J Harvey's feral spirit it's hardly surprising. "You Cast a Spell On Me" has a martial beat, and Parasol's vocals take charge nicely. It's a fascinating and challenging record that's well worth a look.

Copyright © 2010 Anna Maria Stjärnell