We first heard Lindsay Minton as she was fronting the extremely promising Tin Kitchen earlier this year. Unfortunately, the band went their separate ways. Luckily, Minton has forged on with a little help from some of her friends in Know Think, Communipaw, Each Other’s Mothers and of course, Tin Kitchen. What comes from Minton’s first solo effort seems more of a blueprint rather than a finished product. That is certainly not meant to diminish her efforts but just to state that Past is Prelude seems to showcase an artist in transition.

The instrumental “Snake Oil” opens up the album and is beautifully fragile in its spacious, yet rumbling approach. Minton’s aching vocals carry the weight of these songs. Lost is much of the angularity of Tin Kitchen’s off-kilter sound. Instead, Minton goes for a more measured, straight-to-the-heart approach. On songs like “Heart” the Rainer Maria comparisons that covered Tin Kitchen’s EP remain absolutely true here. Minton’s vocals, while not as polished, bare a striking resemblance to Rainer Maria front woman, Caithlin De Marrais. “Spills” is the crowning achievement as it showcases everything Minton’s songs can capture.  There is a delicate simplicity to Minton’s songs that she is able to wrap into a familiar, yet powerful tone.

Past Is Prelude appropriately ends with another instrumental track cleverly entitled, “Interlude”. The song is laced with piano and other found sounds. For this listener, the title speaks to the transitioning style of Lindsay Minton’s current work. Much like her efforts with Tin Kitchen, Past Is Prelude brims with a raw potential that certainly deserves to be followed closely.

Genre: Indie/Emo

RIYL: Tin Kitchen, Rainer Maria, Jejune

Label: Self-Released

Spills

03%20Spills.mp3

www.myspace.com/lindsaymintonmusic