Photo credit: Cam Archer
Emily Jane White’s “Liza” starts off with simple, soft, somber guitar and the haunting lyrics, “I woke up today/ and I thought that death had swept me away.” Clearly, White isn’t one for sugarcoating unpleasant topics. In fact, she notes, “I don’t write happy music. I’m drawn to writing sad songs… Reflective, contemplative songs. I truly believe that that’s my job. It’s not my job to create happy music. I’m okay with that.”
In the middle of “Liza,” the intensity changes with the addition of a fierce drumbeat, a determined march to battle. It evokes perfectly our daily challenge, although one often purposely forgotten, to defeat death. Unfortunately, the fate of the title character isn’t as certain.
RIYL the smoky vocal stylings of Cat Power. White’s music oozes with gothic spookiness wonderfully suited for the innate, hazy mystery of her voice.
Victorian America comes out April 27, 2010 on Milan Records.