L'Autrichienne is a 21 song epic with lyrics based on the French Revolution, especially the relationship between Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI. The amount of musical ground covered on this CD is astounding. From crushing doom metal to dreamy acoustic pop to punk rock to noise pop to grindcore, there's never a dull moment.
Valentine's vocals are just as eclectic. From breathy, mellow singing to all out screaming she runs the gamut of styles and emotions. This is an extremely ambitious CD, and it's difficult to sustain momentum for 21 songs. There are a few lulls and times where it gets a bit self-indulgent, but for the most part Jucifer manages to keep the interest piqued. L'Autrichienne is sometimes haunting and beautiful, other times harsh and angry, but always interesting.
(released March 18, 2008 on Relapse Records)
