Little Hells

Marissa Nadler “Little Hells” American dream-folk singer-songwriter Marissa Nadler brings more of her ethereal, melancholy & reverberating musical stylings to “Little Hells.” Her voice is still the defining feature of the muzak – she sounds like a breathy Joanna Newsom. But she has more than just your average assortment of folk musicians working on this album (including Simon Pace, the drummer for Blonde Redhead). They have added novel instruments like synth, the theremin, lap steel & Wurlitzer piano that haunt the deep layers of her songs. Although I didn’t give them a very engaged listen, her lyrics are also widely praised and described as American Gothic. Try 2,3,8
No FCCs detected baileyr@stanford.edu

1) fluttering vox accompanied by a Wurlitzer piano & a theremin (if you don’t know what this is, look it up on youtube RIGHT NOW); peaceful & soft
2) **slow ballad to the sea and rosarys; percussion & guitar are added to the mix; beautiful aged feel to her vox and lyrics
3) **the synth/programming makes her peps up the atmospheric feel a la Bats for Lashes
4) acoustic guitar strumming evokes more of an earthy folk feel; organ is lovely
5) up-tempo acoustic plucking; breathy vox “ghosts & lovers, they will haunt u 4 awhile”
6) just Nadler on guitar & vox; impressive string work; lyric“where did you go fantasy?”
7) * great imagery/narrative in lyrics “I’m more than blue, I’m violet”; mid tempo piano
8)** more upbeat, full arsenal of instruments, including spooky ones; narrative in lyrics
9) * echoed vocals, organ, standard,acoustic guitar strumming + GREAT churchy organ
10) * full band version of song “Mistress”- a song she released a few years back; I like it better sans drums!