KIRA LYNN CAIN: “The Ideal Hunter” is a kinder, gentler Nico
PERFORMER: Kira Lynn Cain (www.kiralynncain.com)
RECORDING: “The Ideal Hunter” (Evangeline)
It’s not surprising that the debut from Kira Lynn Cain — a painter and film student — is often called “a soundtrack waiting for a movie.” The Northern California native has a handle on the spooky, ethereal “Twin Peaks” vein. With assists by members of American Music Club and Mother Hips, the instrumentation is dense and moody — vibes, strings, treated guitars — with Cain’s voice like a kinder, gentler Nico floating above the mix.
If “Good” is one of the more traditional song in terms of structure (complete with lush string section), “Not with My Eyes” is the most intriguing, with sitarlike guitars, harmonium and cello creating a downright hypnotizing effect while “Under Somebody’s Hand” has a recurring melody that’s both majestic and mesmerizing. I doubt anyone will be humming her songs (or singing them at an open mic) but the overall presentation — as in the meditative “The Lone,” which has Cain singing nothing but “ahhs” — is both effective and gently powerful.
– By Michael Lipton
