MUSIC REVIEW: K.FLAY - 'I STOPPED CARING IN '96'

Previous work with MC Lars resulted in Single and Famous -- an album that won good affection and air-play, but recent solo work shows a vocal talent and determination that's establishing a unique vision. The hybrid of hip-hop and easy indie punk is now sharpened to a more focused point. The level of creative independence enhances the subject matter; what is discussed and in which tone of voice content is expressed.

I Stopped Caring in '96 has the kind of energy you'd see if a dance floor, filled to capacity, suddenly turned into a ball-pit of bouncing rubber. Colors, contrasts, speed-balls and bounce is what this stuff is all about. Concepts play off one another; they spin out of control in one track but regain control in another. “Doctor Don't Know” has handclaps, tap-dancing, and a sweet bass sound that brings all stomp and tambourine, tinny-gospel. Seductive and disorientating waves come and collapse in on themselves. The urgency of life, the restlessness of mortality brings a raspy, soulful vocal performance that turns into flat-out versing. “Last night I called the Dr. and he said to me, / 'No matter what you try to do, you're going to die eventually.'” It's the kind of line that comes straight from the lineage of Screamin' Jay -- morbid, bluesy, and celebratory. It's a killer track that contrasts with the more reflective moments.

“Elle Fanning” selects the child star as a totem for modern frailties and the paradoxes of what it means to be a young lady. The strength is in K.Flay's ability to sing about being a girl without employing the usual, lazy girlie associations that other ladies will sometimes rely on. There's nothing here about the desire to be treated especially well or like a conventional lady by conventional boys. Instead, there's a straight-forward independence and a confession of “I need a bath.” Responsibility is assumed and negotiated; it's solidly refreshing to hear a genuine voice of honesty. The basic tone is: “Some of what happens, we can blame on life, but for much of what happens, we must blame ourselves.”

Later, in “Party,” heat is added to the sauce as a list of reasons to party and areas of adulthood are explicitly and implicitly encouraged: “Party with the hot guy / Let him in the back door.” From moments of sensitivity to the swaggering passes, K.Flay is equal to the behaviors of anyone who raises the bar of unapologetic confession; but these aren't confessions associated with guilt -- these are documents of modern behavior, and whilst they acknowledge the existence of rules, they continue, regardless of imposed morality.

“Less Than Zero” is a tripped-out standard hip-hop beat that morphs again to blues and then something more driven. The tacky guitar line is damn near perfect; it sounds like the cheapest axe wired through the cheapest effects pedal and a stolen amp. There's melancholy here that's not labored but all convincing. Where some male counterparts could be inclined to posturing and claiming realness, K.Flay just gets on with business. Here's a track stained by “Swimming in my afterthoughts”  -- the lacking spark and the unresolved sadness that's sometimes inescapable when someone or something else has imbalanced control over our situation or emotions. Listen carefully -- this is one of those rare nuggets of parred-down songwriting that few achieve.

I Stopped Caring in '96 has all the feel of a 'must-have mixtape.' It's the kind of thing that's snuck in between fully fledged studio albums but is an indicative bunch of tunes and temperaments that highlight a slow-burning talent that is gaining gravity. With each release, K.Flay becomes more compelling and is set to pull bigger crowds, so in that sense, you truly don't want to miss out on this dispatch; you should attempt to get as close to the core as possible.

Standout Tracks: "Doctor Don't Know", "Less Than Zero", "Party", "Elle Fanning"

For Fans Of: M.I.A., SIMS