It’s been more than six years since the last Jessica Bailiff LP, but the queen of space/drone/folk hasn’t lost her touch. As collaborator with Flying Saucer Attack’s Dave Pearce, Bailiff’s Clear Horizon work straddled the atmospheric abyss of fuzzy broadcasts and abandoned love songs. 2003′s Clear Horizon needs a follow-up more than any other album in that territory than I can think of, but will probably never happen. Her listless vocals always provide a sense of sullen beauty, channeling the essence of shoegaze more than any army of feedback and pedals. The added charm of Bailiff’s solo work also comes from the homemade vibes, with every sound on her records largely written/played/recorded/arranged by herself.At the Down-Turned Jagged Rim of the Sky continues the pattern, coming almost out of nowhere. The songs shift their focus from the previous acoustic work ever present on Safe Like Home and earlier albums, while also veering into minimal noise pop and procession-paced dirges of pitch black radiance. Tastefully mixed by Odd Nosdam (yes, that Odd Nosdam), Bailiff’s songs weave a worn tapestry of lamentful downers leaving little for want. The nine songs here each helm substantial weight and mesh comfortably in cold, dark resonance. The dichotomous opening tracks span the entire ground Bailiff’s shooting for here, with “Your Ghost Is Not Enough” drifting in the demented alien frequencies of Clear Horizon and “Take Me To the Sun” bridging the gap between Loveless and Yo La Tengo. The latter could easily serve as 2012′s noise pop anthem.
The action is dialed back a bit on “Sanguine,” a bass- and organ-backed tune resembling Samara Lubelski at 4:00 AM. The sparse instrumentation and largely deep tones accompany Bailiff’s voice like a small fire in the cold. She sings of empty love and bitter exchanges: “Don’t say a word. We can no longer sustain whispers and dreams. Grow up before it’s too late.” The narrative gets a bit darker on “If You Say It,” a doom-affected pop song that ditches any color or real beauty. Closing track “Firefly” returns with relatively upbeat flare, coupling the jangley rhythm and coldly warm melody for a fitting end to some of Bailiff’s best work yet.
