{"id":46091,"date":"2021-12-27T14:30:26","date_gmt":"2021-12-27T19:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/?p=46091"},"modified":"2021-12-27T14:44:40","modified_gmt":"2021-12-27T19:44:40","slug":"musique-boutique-spell-songs-full-bush-eva-gardner-mary-wilson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/musique-boutique-spell-songs-full-bush-eva-gardner-mary-wilson\/","title":{"rendered":"MUSIQUE BOUTIQUE: Spell Songs, Full Bush, Eva Gardner, Mary Wilson and a Bonus Book"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Welcome to Audiofemme\u2019s monthly record review column,\u00a0<strong>Musique Boutique<\/strong>, written by music journo vet\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GillianGaarWriter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gillian G. Gaar<\/a>. Every fourth Monday, Musique Boutique offers a cross-section of noteworthy reissues and new releases guaranteed to perk up your ears.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/spellsongs-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-46093\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Spell Songs II: Let the Light In<\/em> (Quercus Records), the second album by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thelostwords.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spell Songs ensemble<\/a>, is a magical release. The performers first came together to create a musical accompaniment to the book <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/books\/2017\/oct\/02\/the-lost-words-robert-macfarlane-jackie-morris-review\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>The Lost Words<\/em><\/a>, written by Robert Macfarlane and illustrated by Jackie Morris; the new album is inspired by their subsequent book, <em>The Lost Spells. <\/em>The books celebrate the wonder of nature, and the performers are drawn from the cream of the British-based folk scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In \u201cBramble,\u201d Karine Polwart\u2019s cool, precise vocal depicts a city slowly becoming engulfed by \u201cthorn arches;\u201d in \u201cMoth,\u201d her recitation of moth names becomes a kind of poetry (she describes the lyric as \u201ca moth mantra for banishing fear, and conjuring delight\u201d). The light-hearted harmonies on \u201cDaisy\u201d take you back to childhood days of making flower chains. The haunting \u201cSt. Kilda Wren,\u201d sung by Julie Fowlis in the original Gaelic, is a poignant yearning for the return of the bird to the Scottish archipelago. The song titles reveal the simplicity of the subjects: \u201cBarn Owl,\u201d \u201cSilver Birch,\u201d \u201cOak.\u201d The performers (also including musicians Kris Drever and Jim Molyneux, cellist Beth Porter, harpist Rachel Newton, and Senegal-born multi-instrumentalist Seckou Keita) create sublime music to reveal the beauty within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i5PRlorjsps\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fullbushep-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-46092\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Philadelphia foursome <a href=\"https:\/\/fullbush.bandcamp.com\/album\/movie-night-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Full Bush<\/a> return with the EP <em>Movie Night<\/em> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.brutalpandarecords.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Brutal Panda Records<\/a>). They\u2019re the kind of post punk that\u2019s reminiscent of Throwing Muses\u2014raucous enough to have an edge, but with decided pop underpinnings that draw you in. Which means that while the opening track \u201cSpooky\u201d might start off in a quiet, even eerie fashion, the melodic hooks are so strong that by the time the raging chorus kicks in, you\u2019re more than ready to go along for the ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The EP\u2019s five tracks are something of a study in contrasts. An especially nice juxtaposition comes when the murmuring end of \u201cSweet and Low\u201d \u2014 \u201cTell me how to love you, tell me what to say\u201d \u2014 is abruptly followed by the snarling opening line of the next song, the EP\u2019s title track: \u201cYou don\u2019t understand shit!\u201d There\u2019s some wonderful lyrical imagery, such as the line \u201cI\u2019m not drunk, I\u2019m just speaking in cursive,\u201d from \u201cWild Heart.\u201d They finally let loose on the final song, \u201cOne Second,\u201d a coolly contemplative number that builds to an explosive finish. More, please!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe style=\"border: 0; width: 400px; height: 307px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=2259145031\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=small\/transparent=true\/\" seamless=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fullbush.bandcamp.com\/album\/movie-night-2\">Movie Night by Full Bush<\/a><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1014\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/egdarkmatter-1024x1014.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-46094\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.evagardner.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Eva Gardner<\/a> began her career in Mars Volta, and went on to play bass with the likes of Veruca Salt, Moby, Cher, and Pink. But the multi-instrumentalist steps out on her on her second EP, <em>Darkmatter<\/em> (self-released). \u201cIs Love Enough\u201d muses about the vagaries of romance against the backdrop of jangling guitars. Conversely, \u201cCalifornia Bliss\u201d is keyboard-based, an ode to escapism (\u201cI want to stay here\/away from the trouble\u201d), with the kind of laid-back beat that conjures up visions of waves gently lapping at the shore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pop hooks abound; the playful \u201cLondon Nights\u201d has the lush sound of <em>Dream Police<\/em>-era Cheap Trick. There\u2019s also an upbeat breeziness to the songs, even those expressing some trepidation about love (\u201cAnywhere But Here\u201d). The dreamy harmonies of \u201cHigh Moon\u201d lead into the tougher rhythms (and more jangling guitars) of \u201cLet\u2019s Call It a Day,\u201d a call to lay down one\u2019s metaphorical arms, bringing things to a conclusion on a conciliatory note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe style=\"border: 0; width: 400px; height: 340px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=3586187569\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=small\/transparent=true\/\" seamless=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/evagardner.bandcamp.com\/album\/darkmatter\">Darkmatter by Eva Gardner<\/a><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/MaryWilsonMotownAnthology.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-46095\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/MaryWilsonMotownAnthology.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/MaryWilsonMotownAnthology-324x324.jpg 324w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/MaryWilsonMotownAnthology-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/MaryWilsonMotownAnthology-416x416.jpg 416w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/MaryWilsonMotownAnthology-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/MaryWilsonMotownAnthology-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Supremes were one of the most successful all-female vocal groups of all time, and <a href=\"https:\/\/marywilson.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mary Wilson<\/a> was the only member who was there for the entire run, from the days of pre-Supremes group the Primettes in the late 1950s to the final days of the Supremes in 1977. <em>Mary Wilson: The Motown Anthology<\/em> (Real Gone Music\/Second Disc Records) is the first set highlighting her work, right up to the present day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first track goes back to the Primettes era with \u201cPretty Baby,\u201d the B-side of the group\u2019s first single, \u201cTears of Sorrow,\u201d released in 1960. \u201cPretty Baby,\u201d which features Wilson\u2019s lead vocal, is very much in the style of other \u201cgirl group\u201d records of the period (the Chantels, the Shirelles). There are four previously unreleased Supremes songs featuring Wilson on lead, the best of which is her spirited take on \u201cSon of a Preacher Man.\u201d Other unreleased gems include two previously unreleased songs from the penultimate concert of the Diana Ross-Mary Wilson-Cindy Birdsong Supremes lineup in Las Vegas on January 13, 1970, sublimely smooth versions of \u201cCan\u2019t Take My Eyes Off of You\u201d and \u201cFalling in Love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The two-disc set also features her underappreciated 1979 <em>Mary Wilson<\/em> album, making its debut on CD. You\u2019ll also find what sadly turned out to be her last single, the reflective \u201cWhy Can\u2019t We All Get Along,\u201d released this past March, a month after her sudden death on February 8, 2021. This well-annotated set will likely stand as the definitive package of Mary Wilson\u2019s musical accomplishments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/track\/7pSNisWIl6GXYSnUAWOJFN?utm_source=generator\" width=\"100%\" height=\"380\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/6l6UvoOdsHzu1yqH70R99D?utm_source=generator\" width=\"100%\" height=\"380\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/RaisedHerVoice.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-46098\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/RaisedHerVoice.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/RaisedHerVoice-324x417.jpg 324w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/RaisedHerVoice-416x535.jpg 416w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/RaisedHerVoice-233x300.jpg 233w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking for a way to educate younger listeners about the music of Black female artists? Take a look at <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hachettebookgroup.com\/titles\/jordannah-elizabeth\/she-raised-her-voice\/9780762475148\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">She Raised Her Voice: 50 Black Women Who Sang Their Way Into History<\/a><\/em> (Running Press Kids) written by music journalist Jordannah Elizabeth and illustrated by Briana Dengoue. It\u2019s a fun, lively series of portraits of singers and musicians from Bessie Smith to Beyonc\u00e9, Leontyne Price to Poly Styrene, Tina Turner to Ang\u00e9lique Kidjo. It\u2019ll surely inspire you to revisit the music of your old favorites, and seek out the tunes of the artists you\u2019re not as familiar with; a great way to spend the holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/playlist\/4S7BWNrewdPjCoA2wLGpET?utm_source=generator\" width=\"100%\" height=\"380\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to Audiofemme\u2019s monthly record review column,\u00a0Musique Boutique, written by music journo vet\u00a0Gillian G. Gaar. Every fourth Monday, Musique Boutique offers a cross-section of noteworthy reissues and new releases guaranteed to perk up your ears. Spell Songs II: Let the Light In (Quercus Records), the second album by the Spell Songs ensemble, is a magical [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":46100,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6732,10494,202],"tags":[12903,12899,12906,12898,12901,12904,12900,10503,12902,12905,8531],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/mb18.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46091"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/118"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46091"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46091\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46107,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46091\/revisions\/46107"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46091"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46091"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46091"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}