Holly Miranda : The Magician’s Private Library :: Review
Had David Sitek of TV on the Radio gotten a hold of Cat Power, the results might sound like Holly Miranda’s debut, “The Magician’s Private Library.” Miranda, formerly of the band The Jealous Girlfriends went the solo route and her debut is more of a showcase for studio trickery than her evocative lyrics and songwriting skills. Every track is densely packed with superfluous instrumentation that completely obliterates this promising singer-songwriter’s vocals.
The material on “The Magician’s Private Library” varies in its consistency. The creepy opener “Forest Green Oh Forest Green” finds Miranda in a Joanna Newsom type vibe with its childlike vocal take whereas lead single “Waves” is a strong track that has a woozy and bluesy feel similar to Cat Power. Elsewhere on the album, horns, keyboards and skittering electronics render everything into an overwhelmingly swampy mess. Songs become interchangeable with each other and to another extent, forgettable. On her follow-up, Miranda should pick another producer who can tote up her songs, not annihilate them.
Rating: 
