Marissa Nadler - Ballads of Living and Dying
(self-released)
Marissa's voice soars like the choir invisible on "Ballad To An Amber Lady," the opening track to the second volume of the Tom Rapp and Pearls Before Swine tribute trilogy, For the Dead In Space. Marissa read my review and contacted me with the great news that she had just completed her debut album, on which she plays all the instruments and provides all the voices (minus some backing vox assistance on the opener). It's a gentle collection of folky ballads, highlighted by Nadler's hauntingly beautiful, angelic vocals. "Fifty Five Falls" opens the album with an achingly forlorn and lonely vocal over a haunting backing, while "Virginia" lightens the load somewhat with a lilting, swaying Leonard Cohen-esque melody. [Check Marissa's website for her interpretation of Cohen's "Famous Blue Raincoat," along with a couple of other exclusive tracks that reveal a kittenish Hope (Mazzy Star) Sandoval side of her voice.] "Box of Cedar" has the warmth and intimacy of Buffy Sainte-Marie's early work. In fact, anyone planning a Buffy tribute should contact Nadler immediately; she would do a killer interpretation of "Guess Who I Saw In Paris." That mellow, provocative vibe runs throughout Ms. Nadler's debut.
Marissa breaks out the banjo for "Stallions," one of those old time murder ballads that Timothy Renner does so well in his Stone Breath and, particularly, Spectral Light & Moonshine Firefly Snakeoil Jamboree projects. As such, it's a perfect candidate for his next Hand/Eye wyrdfolk compilation. The organ that dances around Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda's "Hay Tantos Muertos" ["There Are So Many Deaths"] adds a bit of hope and a touch of old European charm to her haunting interpretation. Finally, the album closes with another poignant murder ballad, "Bed of Solid Stone," an instant wyrdfolk classic. At the time of writing, Ms. Nadler was entertaining offers from several labels to release this gem. Whoever the winner of the "sign Marissa Nadler sweepstakes" is, they can rest assured they have one of the year's finest releases on their hands.
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