Editorial Reviews

Angie Pepper's brand of psychedelic blues-rock is not very different from Janis Joplin's 35 years earlier. They both rely on a charismatic voice and a tight backup band. The difference is that Pepper's voice is not as charismatic or impressive as Joplin's. But she still has what it takes to capture the attention of the listener for 35 minutes. On the other hand, her songs lack punch. Half of them were recorded with musicians of the Deniz Tek Group, the other half with the psychedelic rock outfit Donovan's Brain. The former tracks are slightly more mainstream, with '60s pop/R&B tendencies ("Doesn't Seem Right" and "Cool Sea," both showing Motown influences). The latter have a trippier feel. The opener "Baby Don't Go" is simply way too generic to make a good impression. Both the lyrics and arrangements fall flat. On the other hand, "Rockslide," "Humid Air," and "Moon" really let Pepper's own voice come through. The production often seems to aim at a vintage sound, but it's not always convincing. For example, on the Diane Renay cover "Kiss Me Sailor," an abuse of reverb blurs the voice and ends up sounding amateur rather than pastiche. The good moments are fun, the bad ones are still listenable, but what hurts Res Ipsa Loquitor is that, in the end, it feels like we've heard it all before. François Couture, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

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