Description
Playing out a divorce in real-time, Laura Veirs wears a disintegrating marriage like a polaroid in her top pocket on new record, My Echo.
Catharsis abound, her eleventh LP weighs heavy with all the hurt, fear, frustration and hope that comes with a relationship falling apart. Framed almost subconsciously by her divorce from her husband of nineteen years, Tucker Martine – a Grammy-nominated producer best known for his work with The Decemberists and Bill Frisell – Veirs switches from moderately upbeat folk to the downright heart-breaking as she tackles the emotional rollercoaster. The pair were together during the recording process, separated when it came to mix.
Veirs is primarily a folk musician and this is still primarily a folk album but with some additional influences. Throughout the album, the presence of the Bizarre Stars Strings (violin, viola and cello) gives the sense of grandeur, with orchestral swells heard here and there, while Justin Chase’s synth repertoire give a post-human sound.
For contrast, “End Times” features just Veirs singing and playing the piano. Veirs admits to intentionally steering away from a downcast sound at times; “Turquoise Walls” is composed of playful banjo and Nashville guitar against despondent lyrics about being in the room that she painted with her then-husband.
The album benefits from the presence of a diverse array of musicians and also showcases Veirs’ talent as a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, and Martine’s skills in percussion as well as production & features contributions from Karl Blau, Bill Frisell, Jim James, and Matt Ward.
