Venus Hum - Big Beautiful Sky

I really really tried to like Venus Hum's MCA debut, Big Beautiful Sky, but it just wasn't happening. I'm not sure why either; all descriptions I had read about Venus Hum pinned them as a lush, dark, brooding trip-hop electronic band with soaring female vocals. I guess I was hoping for another Portishead or Bjork, or even Fiona Apple. Instead I felt like I had a Poe rip-off CD. OK, maybe that's harsh. And maybe I shouldn't make unfair comparisons. Big Beautiful Sky is a pretty decent CD and it definitely has a lot of good moments. But I can't help but feel I've already heard this before and that it's just getting rehashed for me. No doubt, all three musicians are talented; Annette's voice is beyond amazing. The musical accompanyment is definitely strong, displaying great songwriting for tight electronica songs like "Sonic Boom", Cocteau Twins-like dream pop with "The Bells', and for lush, brooding, ethereal "Hummingbirds". But, again, I feel like I've heard this before. And that it was better. Big Beautiful Sky is still a good album. Not terribly strong and not a stand out, but it's still enjoyable. Hopefully for a follow-up the band will really strike out on their own and get out of the shadows of their collective influences. There's a lot of potential there, but it hasn't been exercised yet, at least not on Big Beautiful Sky. [www.venushum.com]