Listening to Imitation Of War, it is hard to imagine that Kayla Cohen once started out making noise and drone music. Under her stage name Itasca, the American singer-songwriter cum guitarist focused on quiet, acoustic folk starting in 2012. Itasca is now on her fifth album, the third on the Paradise of Bachelors label. On it she allows - in addition to sparse contributions from a bassist and two
… drummers - more electric guitars. These, however, do not create a more solid, but rather a more psychedelic sound, as made in the late 1960s and by a contemporary artist like Jessica Pratt. Itasca comes closest to rock in the title track, whose beautiful open guitar sound is reminiscent of The Smiths' Johnny Marr. Here we also hear a melody that can be hummed along after several listens. On the admittedly beautifully sung and played Imitations Of War, that is unfortunately a scarce commodity. (RME)more
