Larsen - Cool Cruel Mouth (Tin Angel)

Like a Chinese firework, it starts off with a bang, but fizzles out far too early. The first couple of tunes promise a classic, but while never less than listenable, the rest of the collection drifts by somewhat in a stream of instrumental noodling and impressionistic spoken word pieces.

Annie’s smoky, lived-in voice is put to good use on the opener, 'It Was a Very Good Year'. One of her many artistic guises (she is also a writer, painter and more) is that of postmodern torch singer, and Nick Cave fans should love her take on the 60s Sinatra classic. His reminiscences of the women he has loved, and the good times he has had, are given a whole different slant with Annie singing. A classy arrangements honours the song, while a sense of impending doom gives a darker take than that of Old Blue Eyes.

Existential Joe is a moody monologue reminiscent of Bowie’s Thin White Duke period, as spooky synth pads, early New Order bass and programmed beats profile a corporate superman who thinks he’s got it all, a la Dylan’s 'Ballad of a Thin Man'. But the man with “sharkskin suit and showbiz skin” is heading for a fall.

Things drift somewhat from that point however: only two tracks clock in at under six minutes, and the likes of instrumental '12 Eyes' and 'Ohm Ahv D' need some serious pruning. The more memorable tunes are those with less musical padding and more from Annie. 'These Are the Things' delights in wordplay (“nervous insurgents / velvet inquisitors… divisive divorcees fighting in restaurants…”). And Annie’s Rap is darkly funny, a perfect short story in musical form as Annie picks a man up in a bar, before a rival comes on the scene and it all gets rather messy.

In the old days, this would have made a great EP – nowadays, it would be best to cherry-pick the best moments on iTunes. A deep, dark curate’s egg of an album.