Saturday, January 2, 2010

Listen: Laura Veirs


I can't stop listening to this album so I thought I'd share it with you. Laura Veirs has just come out with a new album entitled, July Flame. My first thought was that she was a more upbeat, and female, Fleet Foxes, with a dash of country. Here is what NPR's Bob Boilen has to say:

"Exclusive First Listen: Laura Veirs
December 21, 2009 - Laura Veirs' latest release, the stripped-down July Flame, uses atmosphere and tension as the connective tissue for its songs. Veirs, who's been setting her observations to song since 1999, says she was in a writing slump going into this record, so she challenged herself with odd tunings on her nylon-string guitar. She dug deep inside for inspiration, did away with her full band for most of the album and wrote many of these tracks in her barn in Portland, Ore.

The sounds on July Flame were created with Veirs' producer, Tucker Martine; this is their sixth record together. Martine is known as the producer for records by The Decemberists, Laura Gibson and Thao Nguyen, among others, as well as a collaborator with guitarist Bill Frisell.

On July Flame, you'll hear her beautiful finger-picking, vocals by Jim James of My Morning Jacket, and gorgeous string arrangements by Stephen Barber. There are songs about subjects as seemingly innocuous as summer peaches ("July Flame"), as well as a tribute to legendary studio musician Carol Kaye.

Although Veirs has been on Nonesuch Records for her past three albums, July Flame will come out on her own label, Raven Marching Band Records, on Jan. 12."

You can listen to the whole album on NPR here.

2 comments:

mateo said...

Aaron showed me this a little while ago. I also like it a lot. At times she reminds me of a more accessible Joanna Newsom--without the harp, of course.

Anonymous said...

I love Laura Veirs! I had "Don't Lose Yourself" and "Pink Light" playing on repeat in my car my last summer in Chicago. Brings back memories!

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