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A haunting debut

The Figs EP
The Figs EP
By Virginia Plain

Self-released: 2008

Buy it now


This review first appeared in the April 10, 2008 issue of the North County Times.

Escondido's Eliza Rickman (currently attending college in L.A.) displays a voice with a sound startlingly similar to that of British '80s pop chanteuse Kate Bush on the first release from Virginia Plain, a chamber-rock group for which Rickman is lead singer and keyboardist. A string quartet and accordion (in addition to the drums and Rickman's keyboards) add a sepia-toned touch of melancholy behind Rickman's crystalline singing, giving this five-song EP a very dreamlike atmosphere. And Rickman sings with the kind of absolute confidence needed to pull off that other-worldly sound. The five songs are melodic, yet defined not so much by the pretty themes as by the deeply layered arrangements that give them a feeling of texture. This combination of strong songwriting, intriguing arrangements and Rickman's haunting voice give Virginia Plain's debut a polish and that belies their relative lack of experience.