Personalia

Athens, Georgias Christina Schneider went through multiple project names and stylistic approaches before her sound crystallized with the sophisticated avant-pop of Locate S,1. Under this moniker, Schneiders solo music solidified into a layered yet ethereal whole. Second album Personalia is a dense collection of tightly constructed songs heavy on synths, production twists, and hook after dancy hook. Where her 2018 debut, Healing Contest, was a floating dream of reverb-heavy guitars and sunshiny atmospheres, Personalia is decidedly more serious and direct. The cold groove of the title track brings together airy synths, frenetic drums, and anxious post-punk guitars as Schneider sings about feeling detached from her artistic community and searching for inspiration that got lost. Tight vocal harmonies and antsy rhythms rise and fall in an urgent arrangement, underscoring the songs vulnerable lyrics with a sense of uncomfortable searching. The relationship between controlled instrumentals and naked lyrical sentiments touches many of the songs. The bubbly electro-pop instrumental of After the Final Rose almost obscures the biting social commentary of the lyrics, and the swaggering Even the Good Boys Are Bad finds a smart dissection of relationship dynamics supported by synthesized glam rock riffing. The record was produced by Of Montreals Kevin Barnes, and at times recalls his bands best work. The disco bass, scattershot melodic hooks, and neurotic key changes of Whisper 2000 would fit on any of his groups mid-2000s albums, and this comparison is further emboldened when the song goes full-on Bowie rip-off as it reaches its close. Even with excellent production and arrangements, Schneiders fearless songwriting is what makes Personalia truly remarkable. Her ability to express personal truths with confidence and a fractured sense of humor sits at the albums core. While the intentional construction makes Personalia fun to listen to and signifies a definite step up from earlier Locate S,1 work, its the deeper look into the inner workings of Schneiders mind that makes it so interesting. ~ Fred Thomas