"I Feel Cream" by Peaches

Click here to order in MP3 form from amazon.com

Click here to order in CD form from amazon.com

Merrill Nisker has always been a bit out there.  Filthy lyrics mixed with incredibly infectious, yet minimal, techno and rock backings, have made her, as Peaches, a rare breed in the music industry.  Her three albums have had varying degrees of accomplishment and success, but she’s managed to last a decade with this formula, keeping it fresh all the while.

Her fourth album, “I Feel Cream,” continues in the fine legacy of naughty songs with catchy beats, but with this album, she continues the refinement begun on her last album, “Impeach My Bush.”  You can see the evolution. Start with “Sucking on my titties like you wanted me” from “Fuck the Pain Away” on first album “The Teachers of Peaches” and see how it evolved into “’Cause I wanna take you downtown/show you my thing” as heard on “Downtown,” a track from “Bush.”  Much of the blatant vulgarity has fallen away, as have the harder guitar edges.  The low-fi techno beats are still here, continuing to give these somewhat polished songs a rough feel.

Her brashness shines through here too, on songs like “Billionaire.” She raps her way through the song, making pop culture references mixed in with references to reach arounds and “man-ginas.”  Yep, she’s back.

Some of the songs are more straight-ahead pop songs, and those are quite sturdy.  “Talk to Me” is one of her most pop-oriented songs ever, with her singing instead of her normal speak/rapping style.  The lyrics are straightforward and clever.

Meanwhile, her enjoyment of the more shocking side of the English vocabulary is more blended and toned down.  “Serpentine” is a trademark Peaches song – fast rapping, with the quintessential sing-along chorus, repeating “I don’t give a fuck if you’re mauling me/I don’t give a fuck if you’re falling for me.” But even here, some production touches (some well-timed, and chimed, bells) give the song an extra little flair, and it feels like classic Peaches, and the foul language is an accent, not a blunt instrument as in the past.

She also has presented us with a song that is the closest to a straight-ahead techno song with “I Feel Cream.”  But like many Peaches songs, it’s a bit off-kilter.  Her vocals don’t always blend with the arrangement behind her, giving the song a bit of tension that makes it a unique listen.

The variety and subtlety may come from Peaches’ increasing openness to working with collaborators. She self-produced her first three albums, but loosened control of the reins and handed them over to others for pieces of the album.  The album sounds more varied, but it is still a Peaches album and is quite cohesive as a whole.  As such, it’s easy to recommend, another worthy effort by a creative artist.