Tre Lux is the musical project of Tina Root, ex-Switchblade Symphony.  I’ll admit right out of the gate that I am a huge Switchblade Symphony fan, so I’ve been curious to see what Root’s new musical incarnation would be like.  And I’m still waiting.

A Strange Gathering is indeed strange in that it is both a debut album and a collection of cover songs.  It’s hard to get a feel for Tre Lux’s aesthetic since the material isn’t original, but you do get a limited sense of what Tre Lux might be about.  The record is a nice bit of electronica, with layered vocals, and various guests musicians lending a guitar, programming, and drums.

The songs choices range from inspired to…not-so-inspired.  Tre Lux is at its best with 80s covers: Depeche Mode’s “Never Let Me Down Again” gets some clever glitchy vocals, Duran Duran’s “The Chauffeur” is taken down a trip-hop lane that is a perfect fit for the track, and Information Society’s “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)” finds a natural electronica makeover.  (Though not a song from the 1980s, Tre Lux’s downtempo, minimalist take on Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” is also noteworthy.)  Unfortunately, some of the covers on A Strange Gathering are not as well advised.  One thing we did not need was another cover of “Wild Horses” and someone needs to declare a moratorium on Radiohead’s “Karma Police.”

Overall, this is not a bad album.  At its best it actually sparkles.  But I really want to get acquainted with Tre Lux on its own terms.

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