Lately I’ve been really fond of music that somehow sounds like a geographic location. One band capable of such imagery is Sigur Ros, in whose music the strikingly beautiful landscapes of Iceland come alive. Another artist I’ve recently discovered whose music has similar qualities (images rather than sounds) is Martha Scanlan.
Martha’s previous band, The Reeltime Travelers, had a song on the Cold Mountain OST and has toured with Alison Krauss. While not on tour, Martha makes her home in the mountains of East Tennessee and Western Montana. Her intimate narratives evoke the landscapes of both those locales.
Haunting, and oftentimes sparse, Martha Scanlan’s first solo album The West Was Burning, is equal parts bluegrass and rootsy folk music. It is music that sounds more timeless than old-timey. It makes me (as does a lot from this genre) makes me want to get out of the city and off to the mountains.
The West Was Burning is due out February 13, 2007 on Sugar Hill Records. In addition to her great rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Went To See The Gypsy,” I’ve also included the original.
MP3 | Martha Scanlan – Seeds Of The Pine The West Was Burning
MP3 | Martha Scanlan – Went To See The Gypsy The West Was Burning
MP3 | Bob Dylan – Went To See The Gypsy New Morning
Thanks man! Beautiful picture to go with the beautiful music.