St. Vincent stays strong with Strange Mercy


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Annie Erin Clark has been busy lately. The 28-year-old has been getting her hands dirty in alternative music since graduating Berklee College of Music in 2003.

After developing her stage moniker, St. Vincent, and blasting to new heights with her twisted pop records, she has been enjoying the fruits of touring (opening for Arcade Fire and Death Cab For Cutie) and celebrity.

On Tuesday, St. Vincent released Strange Mercy. The album follows her sophomore effort, Actor, and expands upon her uniquely distorted sound. St. Vincent has crafted a psychodelic sound that blends the styles of Regina Spektor and Dirty Projectors while adding some pop-rock flair. It’s an immersive experience with an onslaught of sounds and idiosyncratic vocal stylings.

One prime cut from the album is “Surgeon,” a slow-tempo track both blissful and eerie. Her voice soars effortlessly over simple synths and melodic lyrics. Its easy to “get along” with this song, as she repeats endlessly throughout the tune.

Beside her new foray into the land of record sales and national tours, St. Vincent has also landed a particularly special and noteworthy gig on the other side of Hollywood. Surely a music industry professional by now, St. Vincent is lending her voice to the hit HBO series Boardwalk Empire.

St. Vincent will be joining the likes of Regina Spektor, Martha Wainwright and the Nighthawks who are performing songs from the 1910s and 20s on upcoming soundtracks for the television show.

While St. Vincent has recently gone into the studio to work on her track for the series, the first soundtrack will be released before her contribution debuts. But what a chance for this constantly overlooked musician.

Boardwalk Empire returns to television Sept. 25 for its second season, so keep your ears tuned in for one of today’s hidden treasures on the show. Strange Mercy is currently streaming online at NPR.org.