*** Saint Low

s/t

(Thirsty Ear)

Saint Low's Mary Lorson is to Madder Rose as Kristin Hersh is to Throwing Muses. After leading two of the '90s' most impressive alterna-pop groups (Hersh's Muses were also one of the '80s' most impressive underground outfits), these women have stepped away to write more intimate lyrics and depart from the guitar-driven pop of their respective bands. The musicscapes that support Lorson's sexy croon on Saint Low are enriched by Joe Myer's violin and Michael Stark's piano and organ, the same instruments that gave Hersh's Hips and Makers its richly layered yet appropriately spare sound. The songs here are anchored by shimmering, laid-back grooves that complement Lorson's confessional laments and a lyric sheet that reads like a diary of exhausting, tumultuous love affairs. With Madder Rose, Lorson's had to deal with the pressure of trying to balance her artistic impulses with commercial necessities; the band's last album, 1999's Hello June Fool, revealed little in the way of personal songwriting. Saint Low, on the other hand, is a labor of love in which Lorson isn't afraid to place her emotional vocals in the spotlight.

-- Kristen O'Toole

(Saint Low open for Luna at the Middle East next Saturday, September 16. Call 864-EAST.)