Album Review: Laura Veirs – Warp And Weft

WARP AND WEFT
Laura Veirs
Folk

4 out of 5 stars

By Goh Chiew Tong

Warp And Weft is worlds apart from American singer-songwriter Laura Veirs’ previous works, which typically consist of quiet, light-hearted melodies backed by light strums on the acoustic guitar. Perhaps Veirs’ change of style is due to the anxieties of motherhood — she was eight months pregnant while recording the album, which is her ninth full-length release.

Veirs kickstarts the 12-track album on an optimistic note, with lyrics like: “First rays of light coming through” in Sun Song. In an interview, the 39-year-old describes her first track from the album to be about newfound reverence for a “beautiful sun that warms up the earth every spring”.

Sun Song eases listeners in with the soothing introduction of the acoustic guitar, which helps to showcase her crisp and steady vocals. It is also a throwback to tracks such as Wide-Eyed, Legless from her previous album July Flame.

But the familiarity is soon interrupted by the rough shredding of the electric guitar – a pleasant surprise adding vigour to the later half of Sun Song.

As the next track America opens with the dominant plucking of an electric bass, Veirs gives an unequivocal indication of the album’s direction, which is beyond her usual acoustic fare.

In the track, she makes blunt but accurate observations of her country: “Dreaming their bills in the city streets of America”.

Veirs’s fusion of folk and rock genres on her latest album is an excellent move and one that suits her very well.

The combination of the guitar riffs, the keyboard, and the candid lyrics is reminiscent of rock band The Killers. America’s daring rock elements make the track another breakthrough for the traditionally-folk artist.

Interestingly, Veirs was once part of an all-girl punk band, only to find her penchant for folk music after college. Her original rocker self certainly made an appearance in this album, and might just be here to stay.

It is hard to miss the fusion of folk and rock in Veirs’ latest album, and this new musical style certainly suits her. Say Darlin Say, for example, has a perky bass beat reminiscent of Shonen Knife, an 80s all-female rock band known for their jovial rock tracks.

The album’s last track, White Cherry, again reminds listeners of Veirs’ transformation from a folk artist to an experimentalist. As her first-ever jazz number, it is both refreshing and luxurious, while blending the sounds of the saxophone, piano, and harp.

This is without a doubt a record packed with the rich build-ups of instrumental surprises — yet doesn’t come close to overwhelming the listener, as Veirs’ folk roots succeed in holding the tracks together.

The album title Warp and Weft references two basic patterns of weaving, and indeed, the album sees Veirs’ clever weaving of her rock sentiments into the acoustic, and her maternal instincts into art. Laura Veirs is without a doubt one talented mother.