Sometimes two wrongs can make a right. In Anne Bacheley's "Headquarters" release, we have a young girl who can barely sing in tune, and bog-standard recordings of saccharine indie-pop. So why is it so effective?
It's effective because it is simple. Like a lone dandelion in a field of tulips, it is less attractive (some may even class it as a weed) than those surrounding it, but ultimately, it will remain long after the prettier flowers have been picked.
A breezy synth accompanies the summery Bacheley's chanting (a chanteuse!) on "Hide from the Sky". The album doesn't exactly deviate from these basic ideals, and the album seems to be all the better for that. As in times before, simplicity is the winner here. The minimal-at-best percussion means your attention is focused solely on Bacheley and her guitar. "Energy", a duet with a lad named Renaud Sachet, is off-key in the worst way. The song itself is unremarkable, and Sachet's unwilling voice only detracts from the charm that Bacheley lends to the song. Bacheley herself is not the best of singers, but her voice holds more than a jot of innocent magnetism here.
Anne Bacheley is probably one of the least talented artists I've ever tuned into. However, her efforts are far from in vain; her lack of talent works in her favour, even. Think Nico of Velvet Underground fame, without the huskiness.
This is a most peculiar album. Rarely can such a poor musician create an album that appeals so. It's quite possible that this album will linger unnoticed in your local record shop, but if you should see it, buy it. You might just be pleasantly surprised.