I promised a while back that I would do a follow-up post to “Those Ladies, Volume 1.” I wrote that earlier post just after Those Darlins released their self-titled debut album, and I have had this entry in my head since the release of Ida Maria’s new album Fortress Around My Heart. And while I will definitely write a few words about Ida Maria, I unfortunately have to start this post on a more somber note with the passing of Mary Travers, one of the legends of folk music.
Mary Travers was the Mary of the 60’s folk super-group Peter, Paul, and Mary; and while I always considered Peter, Paul, and Mary a group that only my parents would listen to, covering Dylan songs and made famous by “Puff the Magic Dragon,” I have come to realize that the trio have become a cultural icon and an emblem of the 60’s folk movement. The group has had a steady following since their formation under Albert Grossman, and their performances have maintained a longevity and relevance rarely seen by most musicians. Nowhere, is that more apparent than in their rendition of “If I Had a Hammer,” a song first made famous by Pete Seeger. This track always reminds me that music retains its power long after a song is released, and it’s a testament to the fact that while Mary Travers may be gone, she will certainly not be forgotten:
Peter, Paul, and Mayer – “If I Had A Hammer”
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There is no good transition now to talk about Ida Maria’s new album Fortress Around My Heart, so I will just get right to it. Ida Maria is the shortened stage name of Norwegian rock icon Ida Maria Børli Sivertsen, and from the moment I first heard her sing, I was blown away. Rarely have I heard pure emotion literally exploding from an artist. Her voice cracks and strains as she belts out memorable lyrics like “I like you so much better when you’re naked, I like me so much better when you’re naked.” You can’t help but be drawn in by her enthusiasm, the force of her voice, and the down-right catchiness of her lyrics. There’s only one way to listen to Ida Maria…loud. Turn the volume up and just try not to shout out the lyrics too loudly:
Ida Maria – “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked”
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Now I can’t think of a bigger contrast to the vocal chord-wrenching sound of Ida Maria than the soft, melodic, songs of Joanna Newsom. I will caution you right now, Joanna Newsom is not for everybody…she has a voice which is, how do you say it…unique. But I love it. To call it nasally would be an understatement, and it has an ever so slight hint of the childish, but her lyrics are absolutely brilliant, and her performances are as unique as her vocals. She plays alone on a stage with nothing more than her harp…yes, a harp. There aren’t a lot of people who have managed to take folk music in an entirely new direction, but Joanna Newsom has:
And as for my inflammatory writ?
Well I wrote it and I was not inflames one bit
Joanna Newsom – “Inflammatory Writ”
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And finally, I have to leave with an artist I have written about before, Mariam Wallentin of Wildbirds & Peacedrums. I recently came across her Black Cab Session, and I’ve said it before, and I will say it again, there are some artists whose voice is the only instrument they need. Mariam Wallentin is one of those artists:
Wildbirds & Peacedrums – “There is No Light”
Wildbirds and Peacedrums from Black Cab Sessions on Vimeo.
Posted by the Needle
