Princess Chelsea: Lil' Golden Book (CD on Lil' Chief Records)

Band: Princess Chelsea
Label: Lil' Chief Records
Title: Lil' Golden Book

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Band:Princess Chelsea
Title:Lil' Golden Book
Reviewed By:Andy Cassidy
Date Published:12/10/2012

Label:Lil' Chief Records
Format:CD
Release Year:2012
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Princess Chelsea is New Zealand-based Chelsea Nikkel ,and ‘Lil’ Golden Book’ is her first release. The album was recorded over a three year period and contains Nikkel’s first song, ,Monkey Eats Bananas, (written when she was at high school), and YouTube phenomenon ‘The Cigarette Duet’ (currently sitting at 5.5 million views).

As albums go, ‘Lil’ Golden Book’ is very easy to love. Nikkel’s almost childlike compositions and instrumentation combined with deliciously dark lyrics make for a listening experience which is simultaneously playful and, like the best fairy tales, slightly menacing.

The album opens with ‘Machines of Loving Grace’, a gorgeous synth-led ballad dripping with space-age imagery. Lyrically and thematically reminiscent of the Flaming Lips’ ‘Yoshimi’, it’s an elegy to love and escapism all tied up in a stunning little bundle of quirky pop.

Second track ‘Yulia’ appears to be the tale of a young girl falling in love with an older man – at least that’s how I interpreted the lyrics. It contains one of my favourite lines, “Is it better to be different than to be better?” and, despite its slow pace it is one of the stand-out tracks on the album.

‘Monkey Eats Banana’s has the grace of a Chopin prelude and some superb percussion. Nikkel’s piano-playing is superb, reminding me of Tori Amos at her most whimsical. Lyrically, the song consists of one couplet, repeated over again and yet the potential depth of meaning within those two lines is almost unlimited – it’s like a Zen koan, the more you read into it, the more you question it and the more interpretations you come up with.

‘The Cigarette Duet’ is a fascinating take on two differing views of addiction from within a relationship. It’s simply magnificent, musically unique and lyrically compelling.

My favourite track on the album is ‘Goodnight Little Robot Child’, Nikkel’s unique take on the lullaby, here sung to her laptop. It’s six minutes of spaced-out bliss with electronic and organic sounds blending effortlessly and beautifully.

Nikkel’s music reminds me of the best of Tori Amos, Joanna Newsom, Slow Moving Millie – there’s a quiet charm about her sound and her lyrics are wonderfully ditzy and eccentric. I absolutely adore this album – it’s pretty without being fussy, poetic without being pretentious and quirky without being affected.’ Lil’ Golden Book’ is a marvellously odd little record, like Roald Dahl writing Disney or Hitchcock writing for Annette Funicello. Like the eponymous Princess on the cover, it’s simply gorgeous.

Track Listing:

01) Machines Of Loving Grace
02) Yulia
03) Ice Reign
04) Monkey Eats Bananas
05) Caution Repetitive
06) The Cigarette Duet
07) Too Fast To Live
08) Overseas
09) Frack
10) Goodnight Little Robot Child
11) Ice Reign (Reprise)

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Related Links

http://princesschelsea.co.nz/
https://twitter.com/lilgoldenbook
https://www.facebook.com/wonderfulprincesschelsea

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Enchanting and eccentric debut album from Princess Chelsea, who is a New Zealand-based musician and pianist

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Lil' Golden Book - CD
Enchanting and eccentric debut album from Princess Chelsea, who is a New Zealand-based musician and pianist

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