The Irrepressibles - Mirror Mirror

Mirror Mirror is hardly a new release; in fact, it was one of the very first of the year, with the album hitting stores in early January. It does seem a little late to be talking about this now but I feel I ought to.
 
The Irrepressibles are a band quite unlike any other. It’s a 10-piece orchestra led by multifaceted Jamie McDermott, who attracts all the attention to himself in a very unique albeit fascinating way. They kicked off 2010 with an album which is nothing short of stunning. This bunch of artists and performers take inspiration from cabaret, burlesque, the middle ages, the opera, the circus and God knows what else. The 12-track album starts in the the world of the crazy circus, the one that used to exist a long time ago. Suffice to say, the first line on the first track of the album is “My friend Jo is a crazy bitch”. Madness ensues but only met by powerful performances which kick-start a wonderfully produced album that never fears to do what they like best.
 
As the album progresses through the tracks, the music sounds more and more like the soundtrack to possibly a silent, mad theatre play or perhaps a circus populated by mythological creatures. It all becomes much more orchestral and classy with Nuclear Skies, where it’s all just conservative sounds with the often present falsetto by McDermott who can pull it off every time, thankfully for all. But then, it’s a bit of harmless madness again. The next track is called Splish! Splash! Sploo!, which says it all, quite frankly.
 
It’s in the end though, with the last 3 tracks, that The Irrepressibles stop the games and suddenly change the atmosphere as a magician changes the card on his hand. It has now a slight Baroque taste, dreamy, intense. McDermott’s voice is exceptional and it’s in these tracks where you can really appreciate that you will never be able to sing these songs in a karaoke. The very best is saved for last, as the album closes with In This Shirt, a track which is nothing but absolute, stunning beauty. It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful tracks of the year - a powerful, intimate, painfully sad song executed to perfection.

Now, if you watch them live, then you will catch the other side to them, as it’s not just the music they create, but a whole visual performance. They take the stage in a fashion more attributable to a theatre group than a band and add a whole new layer to their music, making for a truly unique experience. Sublime.

In This Shirt by The Irrepressibles