SHIBBOLETH

Although the vocals of Amy Darby add a new dynamic to the music of Thieves Kitchen, I can't help but feel that Shibboleth is a step down from the excellent Argot. For one thing, the mix of the album is just slightly off - this is particularly evident with Amy's vocals, and it makes them sound rather odd and stilted. Or maybe they were meant to sound that way? That's the other thing about this album - the songwriting and performances are just very slightly off-kilter, to an extent where I am literally not sure whether they are meant to be strange and dissonant or whether it's just a case of bungled production. And when you can't tell whether someone is being experimental or out of tune, it's a problem.