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Demo Review

Krief
Take It or Leave None

Article written by Mary B - Feb 20, 2007

Patrick Krief is guitarist for The Dears and multi-instrumentalist and vocalist for the Montreal based band Lesley Lane. How he found time to carve out this solo ep, Take It or Leave, is anyone's guess but I, for one, am thoroughly glad that he did. This is Krief�s first solo offering and very respectable it is indeed. This 7 song project is far removed from his normal territory and it only takes a few listens to realise that this ep is not just about music; it�s a personal journey for him. He admits that 'It is a little self indulgent' and it�s all the more worth listening to for this.

Murray A Lightburn (mixing) can be seen on the credits, among others, but this is Krief�s musical adventure and his alone. It begins with the beautiful �We�re all whores� There are some striking string arrangements on here and an imposing piano that complements Patrick�s heartfelt vocals. The lyrics in this song are quite bleak at times - 'We�re all powerless. We�re all useless�. In fact a lot of the ep is littered with brutal, honest lyrics but there is hope to be found on here also. And there is no need for Krief to say �Attention please� as �Broken Mirrors� begins for I am already keen to hear more. 'Broken Mirrors' has a cathartic effect as does this whole release. There is sanctuary to be found in listening to somebody else�s suffering and reflections where love is concerned. Krief attacks the whole subject of love and its aftermath well.

The two songs that really stand out on 'Take it or Leave' are �Worries are over� (my favourite track) and �Black Empty Hearts� which is a lovely song to lose yourself in. It floats along on a river of guitars and beats - folk/rock territory perhaps? - and is littered with lyrics like �Endless nights I spend dreaming of you.� There is an honesty here and refreshing simplicity which gives a great insight into the male psyche. Some listeners may label this as quite a �dark� ep (for its subject matter and pace) but �What We Wanted� and the last track �In This World� are upbeat numbers to give the listener some light relief. �In This World� is a 'jolly' little number, with a beautiful guitar accompanying the contemplative lyrics. And when Krief says �Please forget me� that�s going to be hard because what stands out on the 'Take it or Leave' ep is that Krief is a confident lyricist who is capable of effortless vocals. You do not forget this kind of music release in a hurry. This ep is like a Sunday morning with one foot in rock and the other in folk/acoustic sounds. It demands no interruptions. It�s quite an accomplishment for a first solo outing. 'Take It or Leave' is available online from 20th February. I�ll take it please�

Links:
http://www.myspace.com/patrickkrief