File Under: Electronic/Experimental rating: A- tracks 1. Ski-Ming 2. Bruises 3. Oil + Water 4. Siren 5. Tatu 6. Hell + Bliss related links Majandra

When most people hear the name Majandra Delfino, they will probably think back to her character on Roswell, Maria Deluca. Most won’t know that Majandra has been writing music for a long period of time and actually produced an album completely written and performed by her self, with a few guests on the final track.

The album, entitled The Sicks, is an exploration into various places Majandra has imagined her self or actually been. The lyrics are twisted, sordid tales of manipulation (both male and female) in relationships, physical abuse and the overall neurotic nature of someone who just lost a love. There is no subtle speaking on this album it’s very sharp and tense verbal assaults that overflow with honesty and mental insight.

The opening track, "Ski-Ming", besides being a clever play on words, is about a woman trying to scheme and manipulate a man into being what she wants him to be. It’s an honest portrayal of how she would behave in the situation and how dishonest the behavior is.

"Bruises" comes with a very upbeat looping drum pattern and the keyboard work gives it an airy, light feel but the lyrics are much darker. This song is a sad, disturbing tale of being in an abusive relationship and feeling so powerless. Though the character in the song is deeply scared and bruised, she dreams of the chance to inflict the same torturous abuse upon her the person who assaults her.

"Tatu" gives insight into the feelings of being left, the quest to find acceptance and the limits you reach when searching for it. Violent thoughts and self-doubt are the themes, which grasp the listener and peak their interest. It’s rare for an artist to be so open and descriptive when dealing with personal moments such as these.

The album comes to an end with a bit of reason amongst the psychological outpouring contained within. "Hell + Bliss" is the only track to see outside help musically. It’s a simplistic track of acoustic guitar and keyboards alongside Majandra’s haunting vocals. A tale that leads one to believe "if there it wasn’t for hell and bliss, there wouldn’t be anything at all."

The music on this album is simple, yet hectic at times. Combining looping drum tracks and various keyboard/synthesizer riffs, the music comes together nicely to accent Majandra’s vocals perfectly. Being written and performed by Majandra, The Sicks, is a complete work exactly as the artist saw it. It’s real emotion and real thought.

Samuel Barker is Senior Editor. Contact him at suma@rockzone.com.