Tamaryn - Tender New Signs

‘Tender New Signs’, the second album from San Franciscan duo Tamaryn, is a record that is massive both in scope and sound. Singer Tamaryn and producer and guitarist Rex John Shelverton have followed up their debut album ‘The Waves’ with a record that takes the debut’s sounds and builds it up to sky scraping levels.

Everything on ‘Tender New Signs’ is coated in a wash of beefed up reverb laden guitars. The sound is, once again, very much indebted to the late 80’s 4AD / Cocteau Twins sound of symphonic guitar grandeur but Tamaryn add a punishing crunch rather than lissom lilt. Single ‘I’m Gone’ immediately introduces the huge sound. An enveloping wave of guitar noise swirls around the tender melody.

A sweet counterpoint to the surging power of the guitars is the lilting tender melodies of Tamaryn. Her breathy soft vocals provide respite amidst the overpowering noise. The best moments on ‘Tender New Signs’ are where a little air is let in and the lovely melodies come to the fore. The spiralling guitar figure of the gentle ‘Afterlight’ is a particular highlight.

In interviews before the release of the album Tamaryn stated that she wanted to make a record to ‘transcend the mundane world, by living in a new one of my own intention.’ The resulting album is certainly a record that requires full immersion for maximum effect. ‘Tender New Signs’ is almost unremittingly intense and is a gruelling listen. A few more lighter moments would have been welcome; the glistening guitar pop of ‘Prizma’ is the closest the record gets to a moment of real brightness.

It is ultimately churlish though to complain about the intensity of Tamaryn’s sound, as it is an area in which they excel. ‘Tender New Signs’ may be an exhausting listen but it is definitely a rewarding one.