From the In Box: Music to My Ears IV
I was doing a Web search for Mistle Thrush (Valerie Forgione in particular), and I stumbled across your blog. It looks familiar -- perhaps I've been there before!

I was surprised you used the word "goth" in the review. I can't remember Mistle Thrush sounding even remotely "goth" since 1994. Do you have the "Agus Amarach" album? I highly recommend it. "Drunk With You" seems to have a completely pop/rock vibe to me. You mentioned that "Give A Little" might be destined for the most airplay. "Small" is on WBCN's regular rotation list. I'm not sure about other radio stations. I am intrigued about your "they are not original" comments -- yet you can't peg them. If they sound like a lot of other bands wouldn't they be easy to describe since you've heard it before?

In your review of "Drunk With You" you asked what fans of Mistle Thrush listen to. I have been a fan of Mistle Thrush since 1994. Here's my short list:

Sparkola: "Climbing Out Your Window" (MP3 single)

Rose Polenzani: everything on her self-titled CD "Rose Polenzani"

New Bohemians: "The Live Mauntauk Sessions"

The rest of what I listen to is on my online radio show.-- Susan Kaup

Thanks for your email, Susan! And for the music suggestions. You've been listening to them much longer than I have (I still occasionally confuse Mistle Thrush with Turkish Delight, for shame!), and certainly seem to have a deep appreciation for what they do.

I guess what I was driving at in the review is that Mistle Thrush falls into a weird grey area for me. While I'm not entirely familiar with or fond of the music they play (I can take it or leave it, truth be told), I definitely feel like the band has gothic elements to it -- and not in the industrial sense. Just as Morphine, while not a goth band, had gothic aspects to their sound. And, while Mistle Thrush's music is interesting and enjoyable, I don't think the band is particularly innovative or ground breaking. So even if I can't name drop a bunch of bands that bump up against them, if I'm not surprised or really excited about what they're doing -- new to me doesn't mean it's new. If it sounds close enough to what I do know and am familiar with, I feel fine saying they're not totally original. Maybe it's just because they're kind of a melange of styles... or because I haven't tracked their development as you have.