by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
Grace Sings Sludge, the solo project of Oakland’s Grace Cooper create music that seeps with feeling. Their sound is a mix of breezy folk and dreamy pop, with an art rock edge and orchestral experimentation that touches of raw blues and a jazzy touch. The songs are feel personal yet surreal, coming from a place that often feels dark and mysterious, but delivered with warmth and vulnerability. Christ Mocked and The End of a Relationship, the project’s sophomore album is due out July 17th via Empty Cellar Records (Earth Girl Helen Brown, Pat Thomas, Ryan Wong), and from all we’ve heard thus far is as essential as 2017’s Life With Dick.
“Christ Fucking Mocked” is the album opener and introduction to the record, a haunting jaunt through Cooper’s hushed avant-Americana. The song sways with delicate instrumentation and her powerful voice, weaving around the track and soaring without warning. Cooper’s voice is spectacular and full of character, breaking and retreating in ways that push the composition and shift expressions.
The video, directed by Luciano Talpini Aita could be considered graphic for some, built around the concept of Evangelical “hell houses” which are basically terrifying religious propaganda vehicles that promote religion through fear. It’s not a positive experience. Speaking about the video, Cooper shared:
“Directed and produced by San Francisco artist and filmmaker Luciano Talpini-Aita this vid features a full cast of my friends, family and lovely acquaintances. Most all of which are fellow Bay Area artists.
The video is strongly influenced by the ghoulish JACK CHICK religious tracts, evangelical hell houses and my personal terror of/ fascination with evangelical Christianity. I’ve always been dispirited by ass backwards perversions of faith and fire and brimstone fanaticism. I wanted to do this idea because of how well it would work with the song and Luciano did a wonderful job bringing everyone together and creating a mock Hell House of our own in a backroom at Amoeba records in SF.
In real life, “Hell Houses” are really graphic and I can see how they could traumatize and sicken kids and while the video may still be to us sort of darkly comical, (just by the nature of how absurd and over the top devil puppeteered depictions of life in these hell houses are) I think because of the twisted intent of the source material it’s still disturbing.
Also It features a well acted pretend, pretend abortion which may be upsetting to watch.”