RASPUTINA - FRUSTRATION PLANTATION

There are three things you should probably know before reading this review:
1. Rasputina is one of my favorite bands, so this review is biased... but that doesn’t mean that I’m not completely right about how brilliant this album is.
2. By listening to Rasputina’s latest opus, Frustration Plantation, or by diving into their back catalogue of So Long And Thanks For The Ether, How We Quit The Forest, or Cabin Fever, Rasputina may become one of your favorite bands as well.
3. I have never played a Rasputina album for someone and had them not like it.
On we go!
Frustration Plantation is another excellent addition to the Rasputina catalogue. For those unfamiliar with Rasputina, they are a power trio consisting of drummer Jonathon TeBeest, cellist Zoë Keating, and ringleader/cellist/vocalist Melora Creager. They primarily dress in Victorian undergarments-- the ladies do, at least-- and will make you think differently about the cello and what it can do.
For those already initiated, Frustration Plantation continues in the tradition of finely crafted musical tales that fall somewhere between black comedic fables and twisted gothic history. Musically, this disc is most closely related to Cabin Fever and How We Quit The Forest. With rocking tunes like "High On Life" and "Momma Was An Opium-Smoker", juxtaposed with the quieter "Secret Message" and "Oh, Injury", Frustration Plantation strikes a nice balance both musically and lyrically.
It’s hard to describe exactly how Rasputina’s music affects you if you’ve never been exposed, but it’s unlike anything else you’ve ever heard. Twisted little history lessons over haunting strains of melancholy cellos. If you’ve never treated yourself to this experience, Rasputina is waiting for you at the Frustration Plantation.