The music on the new Torres album is an unsettling mix of spaciousness and claustrophobic pop. What an Enormous Room, out today via Merge Records, finds Mackenzie Scott exploring emotions with a real frankness, even as musical risks are taken, both big and small.
Confessional pop, of a sort, tunes like "I Got the Fear" straddle a line between precious introspection and brash composition. An elegant number like "Wake to Flowers" finds Mackenzie Scott staking out a form that embraces a precision in terms of musical elements, but also a real vulnerability in terms of delivery. Scott's ease at using big, sweeping tunes to chronicle emotional complexity is impressive. This sort of thing could be sloppy in other hands, but Mackenzie finds a natural grace in big moments sharply rendered. "Ugly Mystery", for example, is one of many numbers here on What an Enormous Room with an economy of presentation. The elements of the piece aren't many, but taken together there's a bit of fire here.
While Mackenzie Scott's skills and vocals are what gives the music of Torres its power, credit must also go to the work of Sarah Jaffe and TJ Allen on this album. There's a sameness in some of this, and your mileage may vary with What an Enormous Room. Still, something like "Collect", a real highlight, offers up hefty, churning synth-rock, even as Forever Home", another gem, is a drone-y bit of inspired business. There's plenty of that here for attentive listeners.
What an Enormous Room by Torres is out now via Merge Records.
[Photo: Ebru Yildiz]