Monday, November 2, 2009
Music news Alela Diane makes herself at home
Posted by Christopher Hassiotis on Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 2:00 PM
When not on the road, folk singer Alela Diane splits most of her time between Oregon and California, and a sense of place and geography plays a defining role in her lush songs. Her sophomore album, To Be Still, released earlier this year on Rough Trade Records, depicts the songwriter's surroundings as vividly as it depicts the songwriter. "[My songs are] definitely informed by geography and where I am," says the 26-year-old Portland, Ore., resident. "I definitely write about the things that are happening in that time of life, or reflecting back on dreams. Wherever I am, my songs will be shaped by the places I am."
"Dry Grass & Shadows," for instance, is one such tune. The gorgeously lilting song hopes for a return to a lost yet still attainable countryside, and Diane coos and keens over light banjo and guitar. And on To Be Still, Diane expanded her musical palette, growing beyond the basic acoustic guitar-and-vocals of her 2006 debut album, The Pirate's Gospel. She credits the album's recording process with influencing the sounds.
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(Photo Courtesy Rough Trade)
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