REVIEW: Kimbra - Vows

Kimbra
Vows
(Warner)
(out of 5)

At its core, Vows is a soul record, digging deep into a crate including Prince, Arethra Franklin, Sinatra, and a swag of Motown artists. The record is carefully orchestrated throughout, utilising its melodic artillery effectively, whether filling as much aural space as possible (e.g. ‘Cameo Lover’), or migrating to sparseness where a song’s narrative calls for it (‘Plain Gold Ring’).

It isn’t all gospel influence; massive drum pads sit behind forlorn 80s-ballad ‘Old Flame’ and jazz-ballad ‘Wandering Limbs’ mucks around with time signatures without losing the listener.

Thematically the record revolves around love, marriage, and heartbreak in a 1920s rat pack setting. “Won’t you raise a child with me?” the protagonist asks of her elusive lover (‘Settle Down’), even if he is “only here for a minute or two” (‘Cameo Lover’). “Love is a two way street” (‘Two Way Street’), "still dancing on the aftertaste" (‘Old Flame’), she can’t “withdraw your heart from mine” (‘Withdraw’). 

Vows has been a long time in the making, but the wait has been worth it.

By Theo Sangster.