After releasing a couple of albums as
Awry and joining
Sufjan Stevens' troupe of Illinoisemakers (as cheer captain, to be exact),
Shana Worden returns from her hiatus as
My Brightest Diamond. As with
Awry,
My Brightest Diamond's debut
Bring Me the Workhorse unites elements of
rock,
classical, and
cabaret, showcasing
Worden's skills as a classically-trained vocalist and gifted arranger. Her formal training makes itself known in the range and restraint of her songs:
operatic vocals and strings are inherently dramatic, but
Worden doesn't overdo them. Instead, she uses them just enough to make her modern
fairy tales even more evocative. Her shivery singing makes
"Golden Star" a standout, while the journey from intensity to serenity on
"Something of an End" and
"The Robin's Jar" reflect the suite-like movement of many of her songs. While the influences of
Bjoerk,
Kate Bush,
Jeff Buckley, and -- in the case of the languid
torch song "Gone Away" --
Nina Simone, can still be heard very clearly in
My Brightest Diamond's music,
Worden uses them artfully enough that almost anyone who enjoys those artists will like her work too. However,
Bring Me the Workhorse also shows an impressive range of moods and feelings, ensuring that
Worden never sounds derivative.
"Dragonfly" has all the warmth and weightlessness of a summer breeze, the aptly-named
"We Were Sparkling" twinkles like an icicle; and the spooky, late-night
rock of
"Freak Out" adds a witchy edge. Though the second half of
Bring Me the Workhorse doesn't have quite as many memorable songs as the first half does,
Worden's way with arrangements, and her sweet-but-powerful voice, make the entire album an eerily beautiful experience. ~ Heather Phares
