Know who’s awesome? Alina Simone.
Jadea and I played a gig with her at the Rancho Relaxo back in September. I didn’t get a chance to talk with her afterwards, but I bought her CD – Placelessness. I didn’t have any Canadian cash on me, but they were happy to take my US cash since they’re from NYC.
I listened to it exclusively for a week solid. (I thought I was exaggerating by using the word “exclusively,” but it’s literally the only thing I scrobbled that week. And I was listening to it solid in the car as well – that doesn’t get scrobbled.)
Her music is folky, but eerie. It has an ethereal, otherworldly feel to it. I like to think it touches on my Celtic sensibilities, but Alina was born in the Ukraine, so maybe it’s an eastern European influence that’s showing through. There’s definitely a rock edge too, simple but effective drums and electric guitar (e.g. Black Water).
Her voice grabs me. It reaches inside, touches the human, the pain, the longing; it’s so honest, particularly in Lonesome – starts and ends a cappella and monophonic.
Anyways… Placelessnes… check it out.
So keep on running from the winter, but you can’t help missing the snow. And All these unfamiliar people who can’t ever go back home. Who can’t ever go back home.
– Lonesome (Alina Simone)
