Margaret Glaspy
I Am Both
**** out of *****
The NYC based singer/songwriter Margaret Glaspy's newest full length, I Am Both is a restrained acoustic, folk singer focused album that still manages to display a host of emotions through the strong lyrics and vocals.
Glaspy worked with GRAMMY winner Joe Henry (Aimee Mann, Joan Baez) to craft the sparse album and while there are soft layers of rising sounds, it is Glaspy's singing that is placed directly in front of it all. Producing a record in this fashion means the singing/lyrics better hold up throughout and they certainly do. The songs are stitched together with lived in honesty, novel like fiction and Glaspy's gift is that it is impossible to tell which is which.
Efforts like the opening "Michigan" and "James and Marie" are mini-indie films that are nuanced and deep, and can be linked by love, distance and heartbreak. The twinkling "Common Ground" deals with a bipolar relationship while the acoustic strums of the strong "Reminder" and the artsy strings/piano hits of "Petty" deal with romantic war and the fallout all parties involved need to deal with. These songs are crafted with care, some rising piano here, a cutting line there as Glaspy displays assured mastery of her craft.
"That Rose" is the sweet side of lovers with sexy grooving and light percussion that causes the flower to open while "Wildest Dreams" keeps that light percussion and organ backing to Glaspy's affecting vocals which have a touch of Jackson Browne to them. The album closing, title track layers spoken word directness with floating vocals on the edges dealing with dichotomy, summing up things on a strong note.
Two tracks standout from the rest in different fashions. "Sharp Knife" is a mediation on violence of various shades as the piano ballad describes bar fights and assaults in Central Park as Glaspy deals with visceral pain and fear. "Martin Luther King Jr." is an ode to the spirit of the great activist dealing with homelessness and hate via harmonica, love and folk singer confidence.
While the volume rarely rises, Glaspy manages to convey deep emotions on relationships, politics and more throughout the confident I Am Both.
__________________
Support the artist, buy the album and peep some video below:
Comments
Post a Comment