CD Review: Marissa Nadler's 'Songs III: Bird On the Water

Artist: Marissa Nadler
Album: Songs III: Bird On the Water
Release Date: March 2007 (UK)
Label: Peacefrog Records

Dark, melancholy folk, kinda like country Goth is what Marissa Nadler brings to the table. Her light and tremulous voice reminds one of Devandra Bernhardt, but without the humor. Most of the 11 songs on 'Songs III: Bird On the Water' have references to death:

'Diamond Heart' - "Your father died a month ago and he scattered his ashes in the snow"
'Dying Breed' - "Your earthly days have passed you by"
'Silvia' - is about drowning oneself
'Bird on Your Grave' - duh
'Rachel' - "Say farewell Maria dear, Your bones and skin and teeth"
'My Love and I' - "Your ghost may come where I will go"
'Leather Made Shoes' - "Cause I died all alone with my feathers and bows"
etc.

Normally I'd be really irritated by this kind of morose self-indulgence except Nadler delivers it so beautifully, her fluttery soprano echoes to me from some kind of cosmic chamber with guitars lightly strumming, lute-like, very simply. She's very dreamy and indescribable and I know I'm doing a bad job here of it but listen to a track below. She comes to Spaceland on Thursday, August 23th, prepare to be mesmerized.

Marissa Nadler - 'Dying Breed'