Laura Barrett — Earth Sciences

Several "e" words come to mind in conjunction with this EP: eclectic, eccentric and extraterrestrial. This re-release of Barrett's 2005 debut marks her first recorded foray into the world of the kalimba (an African thumb piano). The results are predictably weird, but in a good way. Barrett is obviously very talented on her instrument of choice, and at times it sounds as though she must have one or two extra hands at work. There's a good chance that the only people who will truly enjoy this disc are those who know Barrett from her work in The Hidden Cameras or Henri Faberge And The Adorables, but it will no doubt fit snugly into the collections of Toronto scene completists. If nothing else, Barrett deserves props for including a cover of Weird Al Yankovic's parody, "Smells Like Nirvana."

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