Tuesday 5 July 2022

There In Your Smile

A recent post about Angel Olsen's new album Big Time on A History Of Dubious Taste reminded me that I haven't posted any of her music here since December last year. The song that hooked Jez was a collaboration with Sharon Van Etten, the wonderfully epic Like I Used To.

I'd read a lot about Angel Olsen but the first music of hers that I bought was the Song Of The Lark And Other Far Memories digital box set in 2021, collecting the album All Mirrors (2019), it's companion album of stripped back, earlier/alternate versions, Whole New Mess (2020), plus a further EP of reworkings, remixes and covers, Far Memory (2021). The vinyl is long gone but the digital version will cost you $10.00, the same price for each of the two albums; the EP isn't available separately. I think it was money well spent. 

I haven't yet purchased Big Time but will. Whilst All Mirrors explored electronic soundscapes and Whole New Mess pulled it all back to an even more minimal sound, Big Time runs free into a lush, expansive environment of big sounds and bold colours, even though a darkness remains on the periphery. The film accompanying Big Time is also worth half an hour of your time.
The great thing is that All Mirrors, my jumping on point, is Angel's fourth album so there's plenty more for me to discover. Angel is in the UK for four live dates in October, visiting London, Bath, Edinburgh and Manchester which promises to be something quite special.

In the meantime, here's a selection of songs from the Song Of The Lark And Other Far Memories box set, split into two mock-vinyl sides, for your enjoyment.
 
Side One
1) Spring (2019)
2) Chance (Forever Love) (2020)
3) More Than This (Cover of Roxy Music) (2021)
4) New Love Cassette (Album Version) (2019)
5) All Mirrors (Johnny Jewel Remix) (2020)
6) Tonight (Without You) (2020)

Side Two
1) Too Easy (Bigger Than Us) (2020)
2) Impasse (2019)
3) It's Every Season (Whole New Mess) (2021)
4) What It Is (What It Is) (2020)
5) Alive And Dying (Waving, Smiling) (2021)
6) Summer (2019)

2019: All Mirrors: A1, A4, B2, B6
2020: Whole New Mess: A2, A6, B1, B4
2021: Far Memory: A3, A5, B3, B5
 

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