Alela Diane’s third album To Be Still will be released on February 17. While her previous release The Pirate’s Gospel featured a stylistic mix of haunting Appalachian folk and swaying sea chanteys, To Be Still has a more intimate retro folk sound like that of Judee Sill or Kath Bloom. As much as I enjoyed her sophomore release, I think the folk style of the new album is much more complimentary to her voice. No longer is the emphasis merely on the creation of a certain atmosphere, but on the cohesion of the instrumentation and Alela’s vocals.
“Dry Grass & Shadows” is a lovely beginning that rustles and knocks, with mellow lap steel and tinkling piano meandering throughout the song. The melody is sparse enough to focus attention on Alela’s warm voice, but the arrangement has a refreshing spirit often lacking in folk music.
“White As Diamonds” possesses the backwoods half yodel of Judee Sill (a more modern example being Mariee Sioux). The melancholy duet “Age Old Blues” is pure Appalachia, and there’s a hint of classic country in the album’s title track.
The slight echo of Alela’s vocal intertwines with sweet fiddle on the haunting “Take Us Back”. The pluck of a banjo and Alela’s mini-keens drive “The Alder Trees”, a song that sounds like a descendant of both Joan Baez and Nick Drake. Meanwhile, the eerie vocals and ominous percussion of “The Ocean” initially call to mind Bat For Lashes but the song slowly grows into something more tangible.
To Be Still is a very beautiful and finespun album that has the potential of becoming a classic.
Alela Diane – White As Diamonds (mp3) *
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of Beggars Group
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