Lydia
Brownfield – Wanting’s For Sinners (Independent)
Based in Columbus, Ohio, Lydia Brownfield has been
writing songs since the late ‘80s, playing gigs and releasing records, and
slowly and surely honing her craft. “Wanting’s For Sinners” is perhaps a culmination
of all those years work, its seven tracks a distillation of Brownfield’s
talents and a chance to share a collection of songs that feel personal and utterly
distinctive.
Her earliest musical loves were post-punk groups like
Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Smiths, Joy Division and Talking Heads, but I’m
sure she’d be the first to admit that her tastes have broadened since then to
include a vast array of artists and genres, from Latin jazz and old blues to
The Eels and Buffy Sainte-Marie. Listening to these songs, it’s impossible to
pin down particular influences, and what we’re left with is a short album’s
worth of songs that are chock full of sweeping indie-style melodies and songs
with something important to share.
Beginning with “Fiery Crash”, its dark folk-rock tone
brings to mind All About Eve. It’s followed by the pivotal “Prentiss Song”, a deeply sincere and genuine song that
relates a friend’s experience with cancer - though there’s a little digging
involved to get the full story. The result is both moving and uplifting.
Together with the haunting, gypsy-carnival-esque title track, it’s probably my
favourite from the record, though apart from its overall brevity, there’s
nothing here that in any way disappoints.
Phil S.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.