COUNTRY – Perseids Records
The new album from Durham-based Skylar Gudasz, COUNTRY, is a beautiful exploration of life experiences, hinting on themes of self-identity, complexities of relationships, and questions of how we fit into the world. The songs are introspective as well as far reaching – the internal emotions of a dreamer (as Skylar describes herself on her bandcamp page – “daydreamer with the nightly blues.”) Imagine a melding of voices from Joni Mitchell, Lucinda Williams, and Kate Bush – that is where you will find Skylar’s ethereal and bending voice. Her angelic twists giving strength to the environment created in her lyrics.
Fire Country” and “Mother’s Daughter.” Both tracks are amazing and wer ethe first two singles. The album features musicians Musicians – Daniel Hart (strings), Pete Lewis (drums), Sarah Louise (guitars), Josh Moore & Chessa Rich (bgv), Casey Toll (upright & electric bass), James Wallace (organ), Joe Westerlund (percussion), Whit Wright (pedal steel) & Jeff Crawford (electric bass/electric guitar/piano/synths). Lost in the Trees’ Ari Picker produced and added his flair for the atmospheric.
Track 3, “Watercolor,” has a hazy harmony that hints at dream pop – her voice painting the soundscape with a warm and bittersweet tone. “Lovestorypastlife,” is sentimental and heart-wrenching, yet the vocal delivery exudes a hope not normally found in an emotionally contemplative song. Track 6, “Truck,” is catchy and infectious… with Skylar name dropping giants such as Lucinda, Emmylou, and Rosetta. “Atoll,” track 4, strikes a serious tone – the violence of nuclear bomb testing and the dangers of the world around us.
I had Skylar in the studio last summer on the Local Music Hour when she started writing songs for this album. She hinted at the album title even back then. We are planning to have her back in the studio in late September. She has an album release party/performance at the Haw River Ballroom in Saxaphaw on Friday, October 11th.
Track listing –
1: Fire Country
2: Mothers Daughter
3: Watercolor
4: Atoll
5: Outlaw
6: Truck
7: Lovestorypastlife
8: Australia
9: No Body
My favorites so far: 1**, 2**, 3**, 7**, 6**, and 4**.
– (h)earwitness