Detailed review for like/unlike, released 2006 on Fence records Picket fence series, Epileptic Gibbon podcast/blog

Candythief grew up listening to her mum's Dolly Parton cassettes and her dad's medieval madrigals and Mozart, none of which really gives you an indication of what this talented singer-songwriter is going to come to up with. 'Like/Unlike' is an eight-track mini-album lasting a little under half-an-hour, which provides a highly intriguing mixture of styles and influences, though on the latter point, the press release that came with this CD makes it clear that Candythief has never knowingly stolen anything, not even from the stationery cupboard! Certainly the eclecticism on display can't be put down purely to a mixture of medieval madrigals and Dolly Parton (if such a thing is even possible to imagine), though I will admit that many of the female vocal harmonies on the mini-album did make me think a little of Gentle Giant, not in an obvious homage kind of way, but more in a general 'madrigals in rock music' sense. You certainly wouldn't mistake Candythief for Gentle Giant in any other way, or for any other prog rock band for that matter, though Candythief does suggest there's an influence of the Pink Floyd sound in her work. If that's true then it's more likely the earlier Syd Barrett-era that filters into her music, at least on the evidence of these tracks. The eight songs are a real mixture of folk, rock, pop, and blues, but no single genre dominates for long, not even within individual songs. The pop is often slightly psychedelic (hence the early Pink Floyd reference) and often makes me think of the quirky, sunny French pop scene – 'Glass Eye', for example, would not sound out of place on a Stereolab album. Third track 'Long Distance' divides its time between this same upbeat style of pop music and some spookier, slower and folkier sections that could be from a Joanna Newsom or a Bjork album. Fourth track 'Serpentine' is the most rocking on the CD, with its raunchy guitar, but even this is given the unusual Candythief treatment thanks to the standard classy vocal harmonies throughout and some weird electronic feedback noises towards the end. Fifth track 'Satellite' is definitely a favourite, combining a summery pop tune that could be right out of the 1960s with some more unusual elements, including a melancholic undertone and some odd little electronics, the end result being some kind of mixture between Phil Spector, The Zombies and the aforementioned Stereolab. 'Aim For The Gap', in clear contrast, is a lot more folky, starting off almost like something by Steeleye Span. It gradually transforms into something more typically Candythief, but there are still some very folky/medieval instrumental undercurrents throughout and occasionally they bubble up to the surface. Last but one track, 'Ersatz', is an odd one that starts with almost Hendrix-style blues guitar. Heavy guitars, a catchy chorus and some interesting vocal harmonies characterise this track and it stands out quite distinctly, though not uncomfortably, from the rest of the songs. The final track on the mini-album, 'Possession', is another favourite, partly because it's so difficult to pin-down – one moment it's dark surf music, the next it's spacey pop with acid guitar, then alternative rock, and then back again, all within the space of three minutes and 47 seconds. Candythief is not prog rock in any conventional sense – there are no twenty minute epics and there's not much in the way of extended solos either – but it's the compelling hybrid of styles and the quirky arrangements that make this stand out to my ears, with the unique combination of folk, psych pop and madrigals particularly likely to appeal to many progheads. Throughout this mini-album Candythief remains delightfully unclassifiable and sounds not in the least bit pre-packaged, not something I'm able to say very often in this reviewing lark.
Best tracks: 'Glass Eye', 'Long Distance', 'Satellite', 'Aim For The Gap', 'Possession'