Ladies and gentleman, Peaches has reached a fork in the road. Where exactly is she headed? That question may be easier to answer down the line then right here, right now. For such a-well, ‘Peach-like’ album title, I Feel Cream is an exploration into more tame territory. Being much less rock-heavy than Impeach My Bush, IFC actually has Peaches crooning. Don’t worry though- she actually sounds really good doing so. Of course, there are still tracks with her signature voracious sexuality, but there are also songs that only hint at it (even when the former is overwhelmingly expected). Ms. Beard-that-puts-Lincoln-to-shame also reaches out to a lot of other artists on this one. Shunda K, half of Lesbian rap duo Yo! Majesty, touches down on ‘Billionaire.’ Drums Of Death, Soulwax, Digitalism, Simian Mobile Disco all contribute as co-writers and producers, making for some very solid and unique backdrops for Peaches to do her thing on. Only thing is, it sounds like Prunus Persicas may not exactly know what her thing is at this point in her career: or what it should be anyhow.

But maybe she lets listeners in on this from the beginning. It’s puzzling that the first track is called ‘Serpentine, (I Don’t Give A-, Pt. 2)’ because not only is it an actual song with structure, but it has absolutely none of the intensity that the first ‘I Don’t Give A Fuck’ does. Verse one is half-whispered and verse two is half-French-not exactly extreme. Where things get really unexpected are on the two tracks that follow. ‘Talk to Me’ has some pretty good singing: addressing a man who has, for reasons unknown, become rather tight-lipped. It is rare that we find Peaches asking something from someone else or being this vulnerable. However, whereas the delivery on this song is a bit more intense, even that aspect softens a lot for ‘Lose You.’ A bit more introspective, this one has Peaches asking, ‘How does it happen? All of a sudden..,’ apparently asking how one’s feelings in a relationship can switch so drastically. Besides some new-found joy for carrying notes, it was only natural to want to try out full-fledged rapping on ‘Billionaire.’ While the track as a whole is pretty standout, the heavens must be praised that Shunda K is on this one to help smooth out the very unnatural sounding spitting P attempts. ‘A’ for effort but unfortunately, not for rhyming ability.

‘I Feel Cream’ is a great track as well, but for some reason, it is ridiculously tame for a song called ‘I Feel Cream.’ Perhaps it’s just because some minds have a little more dirt than others or maybe it’s just because some would like to believe that by now, they know what Peaches is about. Well, on this album, she has certainly shown the world otherwise. In fact, she may not know herself as well as before either. I Feel Cream is pretty good but at the end of the day, it is a transitional album. So, if she is able to figure out exactly where she wants to go and what she wants to do by the next one, it could be great.

RELATED POSTS:

No related posts.