Laura Veirs
July Flame
(Raven Marching Band)
Utilizing a more stripped down sound then her previous album, but not quite as bare-bones as her debut back in 1999, July Flame finds Veirs mature and confident in her songwriting. Opening tune “I Can See Your Tracks” sets the mood for the overall tone of the album quite well and although the album as a whole stays relatively on this track, it’s still a fun ride. Jim James (My Morning Jacket) lends his vocals to this and many other tunes on the album.
The title track, which takes its name from a breed of peach, uses multiple yet simple layers to create a rich sound. Much of the album takes its time to unfold, moving along at a slow ramble; like an undercurrent in the ocean, though, it’s hard not to get swept away by it. A few stand out tracks like “Sun is King” and “Little Deschutes,” which is carried mostly on the light amblings of the piano, provide beautiful collisions between spoken sentiments and their musical equivalents.
“Wide-Eyed, Legless,” is the closest Veirs comes to sounding like her breakout single “Galaxies” off of 2005’s Year of Meteors, arguably her most-played song to date. Using similar staccato vocals with an underlay of guitar and strings the track doesn’t achieve quite the catchiness of “Galaxies,” but comes close. Overall, July Flame manages to move subtly between styles and moods to create something as sweet as its namesake. |
|
