On her second full-length LP, Odd Fellowship, Halifax native Rebekah Higgs presents an off-the-wall blend of musical experimentation with young love-induced lyrics. As the album opens, we are introduced to yet another unbearably sweet, young and chill indie-pop vocalist along the lines of Hannah Georgas or Feist.
There are occasional quirky moments, as well as some attempted raciness (“Can you kiss me through the nicotine?” she asks at one point), but nothing here hasn’t been done a thousand times before.
Diverse musical arrangements, however, help stave off complete indifference. The dainty keyboards of “Little Voice” contrast with the finger-snapping, riff-driven “Gosh, Darn, Damn,” or the disorienting, hallucinogenic “Lazy Morning.” Other notable moments include the echoing swirls of “Miserably Together,” and the gradually speeding conclusion of “Stick & Poke.”
Concluding with the heavy and distorted “Drunk Love,” Odd Fellowship deserves recognition for its diversity, and serves to separate Higgs from her multitude of contemporaries.
Despite her conventional vocals, Higgs takes a unique approach to arrangements on her sophomore effort. This has laid out a promising path for her musical future, one where her little voice will eventually begin to garner appreciation on a wider scale.
