With Strange Mercy, St. Vincent displays a gift for fusing the cerebral and the visceral with melancholy and elegant arrangements packing hefty emotional punches. It also redefines the idea of the guitar hero, as the instrument is utilized like an artist would a paintbrush.

Chloe in the afternoon -- Cruel -- Cheerleader -- Surgeon -- Northern lights -- Strange mercy -- Neutered fruit -- Champagne year -- Dilettante -- Hysterical strength -- Year of the tiger.