Over the course of her 18 years in the industry, veteran songstress Marissa Nadler has rightfully come to be known as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary folk music. Her instantly recognizable mezzo-soprano vocal style, as soothing as it is eerie, has charmed audiences from all over the world and inspired countless new musicians. Today, we look at a record where Marissa offers us her interpretations of familiar tracks from familiar artists, plainly titled Covers.
Marissa Nadler hardly seems like she belong to this time or place. Her luxurious voice, as it echoes and lingers and tapers off like the flame of a candle, evokes the mood of a medieval era in some dark and gothic land far away. As she applies this bewitching style to the songs on Covers, which range from folk classics to contemporary rock numbers, they take on a new life and ambiance in a way that only Marissa can pull off. Radiohead‘s No Surprises, for example, is stripped down and rearranged to sound like its being sung by a choir of spirits. Similarly, David Bowie‘s Lady Stardust is re-imagined as a breezy, nostalgic ballad. The instrumentation Marissa uses is minimal, mostly consisting of piano or sparse guitar chords accompanied by little flourishes like layered vocals and the occasional harp. The set of covers, in all, is a masterful lesson in starkness and minimalism. Press play, close your eyes, and let Marissa work her spell.
Favorite Tracks: The River, No Surprises, The Rake
Track List
1. Save Me A Place 04:08
2. The River 06:34
3. Drug Buddy 03:46
4. You Don’t Miss Your Water 02:42
5. Old Flames Can’t Hold A Candle To You 03:38
6. No Surprises 06:34
7. Farewell Angelina 05:10
8. Sara 06:02
9. The Rake 04:39
10. The Book Of Love 02:56
11. Trouble 03:42
12. Our Mother The Mountain 04:30
13. Lady Stardust 03:32
14 Motel Blues 03:10
15. Ordinary World 04:54
Related Links
Marissa Nadler’s Website
Marissa Nadler on Facebook
Marissa Nadler on Twitter
Marissa Nadler on Instagram
Marissa Nadler on YouTube