Music Review
Artist: Ann Vriend
Title: When We Were Spies
Publicity: Killbeat Music
Released: March 11^th 2008

4 1/2 Stars

Reviewed By: Kindah Mardam Bey

Ann Vriend drives me nuts; how can music be this good and she's not plastered on billboards from L.A. to N.Y.? If you haven't heard of Ann Vriend, take my mini tutorial as I reviewed her previous album Modes Of Transport and interviewed her last year Music In Spades: Ann Vriend . It can be a little unnerving to receive a second album of an artist you really enjoy, because there is always the idea that the first album was a fantastic fluke, but Vriend manages to show that talent has a great deal of constancy to it.

When We Were Spies is Vriend's third album (plus one EP) to her credit, which has an espionage theme, as Vriend takes on the persona of a secret agent:

"Ann Vriend is a former spy. She worked incognito for an undisclosed western European agency, posing as a freelance journalist, when she met someone who was also spy - but for the other side. Against all odds, they fell in love - thus entering an increasingly complicated game of torn loyalties, clandestine passion, and treacherous lies. It is these experiences which inspired When We Were Spies; the cinematic new pop album by former agent Ann Vriend."  

So says her bio, but in truth, love is a lot like a secret agent game of cat and mouse, and Vriend seems to have explored that aspect of love amply on When We Were Spies. The theme aside, Vriend is an exceptionally talented artist with a strong comprehension of what her voice can do, an ear for orchestration and she plays the piano skilfully. So even though this album is very different in style from her previous album Modes Of Transport, it is still distinctly Vriend's signature sound. Where Modes was more of a soulful journey with excerpts of upbeat tracks, When We Were Spies is an orchestrated soundtrack that does indeed sound like it was intended for a big budget spy film. Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking Goldfinger here, Spies is a complex album full of subtleties wrapped in memorable tunes.

Vriend is best when her songs are centered on her voice and her piano, such as at the end of the song ‘Start Over.' Her voice is serene with a great amount of precision to it, and yet wild at the same time, like unchartered, untamed vocal territory. It's mentioned that Vriend's voice is similar to Dolly Parton's but without the country, a little smokier like Parton with a spritz of Carly Simon perhaps. In truth Vriend is such an original, her vocals are hard to categorize. 

When We Were Spies is also a little more rock infused than Modes, like the song ‘Radio' which has a great guitar solo alongside Vriend's crooning lyrics. You can still find Vriend's usual upbeat tracks such as the highly ‘spy' infused theme song ‘(If We Are Not) Spies' and ‘St.Paul' which is currently getting radio play. Vriend also does a brilliant cover of Neil Young's ‘Rockin' In The Free World' with her own delightful take on it. Possibly my favourite track would be ‘Hallowe'en' as it is a literate gem with a delicious subtext and is paired with poetic music, almost like an echo of sound pulsing throughout the track. Perhaps when Vriend has ended the Neo-Cold War, we can hear her explore a mystical or fairytale world as Tori Amos once did in Boys For Pele.  

Whatever Vriend does after Spies, I would have to say buy it, in fact buy When We Were Spies and also buy Modes Of Transport. You can hear Vriend on her website at: www.annvriend.com and then do your best to support a new and inspiring talent, so that when she does become hugely famous you can say "Ann Vriend, oh yeah, I've known about her for years." 

1. (If We Are Not) Spies
2. Central Park Monday
3. Rockin' In The Free World
4. Start Over
5. Radio
6. St. Paul
7. Now The Lights
8. Where You Are
9. The Agreement
10. Hallowe'en
11. Take My Hand