Kety Fusco - BOHÈME

A Closer Listen

Setting aside initial plans for a second chapter of THE HARP, Kety Fusco has forged forward with the full-length BOHÈME.  In a remarkable confluence, Iggy Pop (who appears on early single “SHE”) is having a moment, coming off the wild success of Teddybears’ “Punkrocker” from the Superman soundtrack.  “SHE” underlines both Fusco’s gothic sensibilities and her efforts to bring the harp into what one might call an alternative mainstream.  “The harp is not heard as much,” says Iggy, but one wants it to be; or at least, one wants the harp to be heard in surprising fashion, no longer relegated to the upscale and staid.  One can also glean the shift in the video for “BLOW,” which references films such as Friday the 13th and The Blair Witch Project, albeit in a tongue-in-cheek fashion.  The track may reference 80s synth scores, but every sound – as well as every sound on the album, save for Fusco’s occasional voice and the turn by Iggy Pop ~ stems from the harp.  Given such creativity, it’s almost a disappointment to hear Fusco tackle “Für Elise” (renaming it “Für Therese”), as her own compositions are far more intriguing.

The main attraction is hearing the harp in an electronic framework and realizing how compelling the combination is to the ear.  “Resistance” sounds like another possible horror movie title theme, while remaining accessible to the masses; we wouldn’t be surprised to hear it land in a Halloween playlist.  The whispers – words just beyond audibility – amplify the mystery.  “Nocturne” extends the mood, beginning in traditional fashion before exploring what sounds like bowed harp in the closing minute, a violin-like effect.  Going out on a strong note, Fusco closes with “Ninna Nanna,” which features field recordings and voice, and whose early and late timbres imply a music box.

Kety Fusco embeds the harp in uncommon frameworks, while ensuring that her music remains accessible to the masses.  We can envision mainstream success for the artist-composer, achieved without any compromising of her own identity.  (Richard Allen)