American singer Lera Lynn has a special way with minor and major chords. William Dart looks at how she employs this talent to make her own powerful observations on life and its issues.
Lera Lynn, On My Own, cover image Photo: Lera Lynn
Of her latest album, On My Own, Lera Lynn has said that she's enjoyed going down the rabbit hole of writing and experimenting with sounds. And this she does, with some remarkable finessing and positively daring adventures with layering and juxtaposition.
The title of the CD is significant too: all of its sounds were created by Lynn herself, as singer, sole instrumentalist and producer.
One song has the chutzpah to lift its title from John Lennon. Back in 1970, Lennon’s 'Isolation' pleaded with the world to accept him and Yoko Ono, together with their demands to give peace a chance.
In the intervening half-century, the world has been working hard to isolate us even more. Lynn’s target in her 'Isolation' song is the frightening domination of the world wide web, and the effect that it has on human relationships. She sings of hands-free reality and the lost art of touch. She warns about the base metals that lie under gilded surfaces, metals which end up in our dying oceans. It’s very much Lynn’s voice and voices that are in the driving seat here.
William Dart listens to this and a number of songs from earlier in her career.
Music Details
'Song title' (Composer) – Performers
Album title
(Label)
'For the Ride' (Lynn) – Lera Lynn
Have You Met Lera Lynn?
(Slow)
'Lying in the Sun' (Lynn) – Lera Lynn
Lying in the Sun – EP
(BMI)
'My Least Favorite Life' (R Cash et al) – Rosanne Cash
She Remembers Everything
(Blue Note)
'My Least Favorite Life' (R Cash et al) – Lera Lynn
True Detective (Music From the TV Series)
(Harvest)
'Drive' (Lynn) – Lera Lynn
Resistor
(Resistor)
'Crimson Underground' (Lynn, Crowell) – Lera Lynn feat. Rodney Crowell
Plays Well with Others
(Single Lock)
'My Funny Valentine' (Rodgers, Hart) – Lera Lynn
My Funny Valentine – Single
(Ruby Range)
'Are You Listening?' (Lynn) – Lera Lynn
On My Own
(Lera Lynn)
'Isolation' (Lynn) – Lera Lynn
On My Own
(Lera Lynn)
'Christmas Everywhere' (Crowell, Jorgenson) – Rodney Crowell feat. Lera Lynn
Christmas Everywhere
(New West)
