Photo by Peter Ashworth | Image © Ringing Tree Records
2004
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Caroline Lavelle
A Distant Bell
album review and artist reflections
Review and Interview © Justin Elswick 2004 Production © Russell
W Elliot 2004 all images used with permission
Article originally published by Musical Discoveries.
Musical Discoveries actively follows and promotes contemporary, progressive and crossover music featuring female vocalists by reviewing albums and live performances, interviewing artists and by publishing comprehensive features spanning their careers
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Originally brought to our attention by her debut album
Spirit and contributions to Loreena McKennitt's albums, Caroline
Lavelle's music has drawn significant attention and critical acclaim from
our editorial staff and frequent visitors. We were pleased when Caroline
approached us prior to the release of this latest project, A Distant
Bell and agreed to work with us on the indepth and exclusive interview
presented below. Our review
of the stunning album follows.
ACIDplanet.com is currently hosting a remix contest for “Banks of the Nile” from A Distant Bell.
http://www.acidplanet.com/contests/lavelle
Musical Discoveries: A Distant Bell is the name
of your new album which explores the acoustic-traditional-folk genres.
What inspired you to do a more traditional-folk album this time
around?
Caroline Lavelle: Well, I found that with Brilliant
Midnight, it took me ages to complete because I was doing so much
sound manipulation. I would sit at the computer for hours and hours. A
Distant Bell is possibly a reaction to that earlier and lengthier
recording process.
With the new album, I just wanted to record a human being
playing at the beginning of a song and ending at the end--with great
musicians playing really beautiful parts. I really solidified the idea
last year when I was in America touring with the Chieftains. I loved the
fact that we could go from city to city and just pick up our instruments
and play. Performing some of the songs off Brilliant Midnight would
be much more difficult.
I really wanted to make a record that also reflected my
musical roots. My mother is Irish--from County Mayo--and used to sing me
old songs when I was a child. The first piece of music I wrote was
actually a jig--it was rubbish. Actually, I remember saying to my
grandmother when I was eight "Oh, Beethoven writes like me!" and my
grandmother said "I think it is the other way around. You write like
Beethoven ... in your dreams."
Is there a particular meaning or inspiration for the
title A Distant Bell?
The feeling that I wanted to convey is an echo across
time. In England, you can stand and sometimes hear distant bells ringing
from far away. And the bells may be ringing for a joyous occasion or a
sorrowful occasion. Some of the traditional songs on this album have been
around for years. In one sense, their melodies cross time to the
present.
Image © Ringing Tree Records 2004
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The title also conjures up positive images for
me--sunshine and warmth. I tried to make this record a bit more happier
than some of my earlier work. It is quite funny, because my personality is
a "daytime" personality. I tend to be very outgoing and I enjoy
conversation and having a good time. But I suppose that the more silent
secret part of me that I tend not to reveal as much seems to go into the
music. At any rate, I really like to explore a broader emotional canvas
with my music.
On the new album, you've worked with quite a few
exceptionally talented musicians like Harvey Brough, Paddy Moloney, Hugh
Marsh and Triona Marshall among others. Is it a more time consuming
process to record their various instruments layer upon layer or more
difficult to do something like you did with William Orbit on your first
album Spirit
It is actually quicker to work with the live players. You
usually have them for a set amount of time, and so at the end of the day,
you had better have gotten things right!
Do you have a personal favorite song on the new
album?
It really depends on the day. I think with this album,
I've weeded out more songs than on the others. I wanted this album to be a
bit shorter than Brilliant Midnight. I thought it was important
that liseners be able to relax and listen to the entire album in one
sitting if they wanted to. Funny enough, several of the tracks that will
not be on the final version of A Distant Bell are some of my
favorites. I really went back-and-forth trying to decide which tracks to
include and which tracks to omit. However, fear not: the ones that I
removed will reappear at some point.
"Gently Johnny" is a fairly risque folk song from the
medieval period. What is the story behind its inclusion on the new
album?
I think it is such a gorgeous, lovely song. In truth, I
really just like the song. When I first sang it, I thought "I could never
play this for my dad." So, I rang up my mother and told her that I was
including a slightly "rude" song on the album. She said "Oh, don't be
silly. Where do you think I've been for the last 70 years!" She's probably
seen alot more than me. When "Gently Johnny" was collected, the original
lyrics were actually changed to give it a more tame connotation--somewhat
of a sanitized version.
You've adapted two poems by Brian Patten to music for
your new album--"Innocence Sleeping" and "Simple Lyric." The lyrics for
"Sleep Now" from your first album were also drawn from a poem by Brian
Patten. What is it about his poems that translate so well musically for
you?
I love the fact that his work is so very immediate and
direct. If you read his poetry you will find layers and layers to his
words. I love the way that he paints pictures with his words. And he can
do it from a woman's point of view. Brian seems to know so much about
women. His writings are so intense and beautifully erotic at the same
time. He creates living, breathing characters with his words.
Before meeting Brian, I had purchased so many of his love
poems and given them away. And so many of my girlfriends bought so many
copies and gave them away. It was sort of like a pyramid scheme! So, one
day, I plucked up the courage to telephone him. When I called, I spoke
with an agent of his. I told her that I really wanted to send Brian some
songs. She was kind enough to forward some of my work to him.
Amazingly, I received a small handwritten note from him
saying that he enjoyed my work. He was so kind and told me that he was not
"precious" about his work, and that I could use as little or as much as I
saw fit. I nearly fainted! I went a wrote "Sleep Now" immediately and sent
it to him. A short time later I met up with Brian in London and we had a
wonderful visit. He has been so generous.
Image © Ringing Tree Records
2004
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You are performing live at the Ocean on September
17th. Having toured with the likes of the Chieftains and Loreena
McKennitt, how do you feel about being front and center as a player and
vocalist?
Actually, it is much more relaxing. I feel such an
enormous responsibility to the artists that I tour with that I want to
make sure everything is perfect. When I'm playing my own music, I don't
feel that pressure. I can tell you, however, that singing is alot easier
than playing the cello. The cello takes loads of time to work with. I've
been playing since age six. When your that young, though, you really don't
remember actually learning specific techniques or notes. I think you just
suck it up like a sponge.
Do you have any plans to tour in Europe or Amrerica or
Asia with the new album?
I'd really love to go to America or Asia. Right now, the
only things that I've got planned are a few dates in Italy in October.
Because it is my own label, I bear much of the financial responsiblity for
such endeavours. So, I have to plan wisely. But I do love playing my stuff
live. When Spirit was released, I was lucky enough to go to the
United States to promote the album. I performed in L.A. I had the worst
sore throat that night! I felt like I had swallowed razor-blades. But the
show went on. Hopefully everyone thought I had a particularly husky voice.
What does the rest of the year hold for you?
Well, I will be collaborating with Hector Zazou a bit.
And then in July I will be touring with the Chieftains in Italy. Then, I
come back and will begin working on the next record. I've got so many
tracks written that really just need to be recorded. I try and leave some
free time for writing. I also need to work on the live performance aspect
of my art.
Your music contains flavors of classical, folk, pop
and electronica. Do you think we'll hear a more electronic album in the
future in the vein of Spirit?
Yes, I think so. Hector Zazou and I have been talking
about a future collaboration that may be sung in French. It will likely be
more electronic sounding. But I will save that for later when we solidify
some of the details. Nicola Hitchcock and I did some vocal work on
Hector's last two albums. Nicola is a great friend of mine. She does not
live too far away. In fact, Brian Patten lives in the area, and so does
Tori Amos. Just a while ago, I was on the beach and I ran into Thom Yorke
of Radiohead. It was grand! This is really quite a lovely area to live
in.
Review
Image © Ringing Tree Records
2004
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Caroline Lavelle, the gifted vocalist and cellist has
graced fans with a breathtaking new recording, A Distant Bell
released on her own label, Ringing Tree Records. This time around,
Caroline has explored further the boundaries of folk/traditional/chamber
music. While Caroline's first album, Spirit, was steeped in
electronic ambience, several songs on the album (like "Moorlough Shore"
and "Sleep Now") evidenced Caroline's interest in folk and traditional
music. Her follow-up, Brilliant Midnight (review/interview)
was an entirely more organic affair, relying more upon strings, guitars
and piano.
With A Distant Bell, Caroline has mined Britain
and Ireland's rich musical heritage, offering reinterpretations of
traditionals songs as well as several lovely new compositions of her own.
As part of this endeavor, Caroline collaborated with many prestigious
musicians including Paddy Moloney (whistle), Harvey Brough (acoustic
guitar, psaltery, cor anglais, backing vocals, piano and accordion), Alec
Dankworth (bass), Triona Marshall (harp), and Hugh Marsh (electric
violin). The Scottish Festival Orchestra also features prominently on the
album. Together, these skilled instrumentalists have created a layered and
rich backdrop for Caroline's voicings.
It is obvious that Caroline has a great love and
admiration for the traditional songs that she's chosen. Perhaps it is not
suprising, however, that some of the best moments on the album come from
Caroline's own compositions. The very cool "So Uncool" is a musical and
poetic masterpiece featuring piano and bowed string rifts. The chilling
"Simple Lyric" is a musical adaptation of a Brian Patten poem. Hearkening
back to Caroline's song "Karma," "Simple Lyric" is a mournful and
penetrating piece that allows her emotive singing to capture the
spotlight.
Caroline boldy presents her take on the "jig" in the
jaunty "No More Words." With a fiesty beat and clever lyrics, "No More
Words" is the type of song that one would not be surprised to hear in a
local Irish-music pub. Caroline's interpretations of the traditional songs
"Banks of the Nile" and "Greenwood Laddie" are stunning and evocative.
Like her associate, Loreena McKennitt, Caroline wonderfully captures the
otherworldliness of a distant time while imbuing new life into old
songs.
On "Handful of Ashes," Caroline revisits the works of
Armenian poet Siamant'o using filmic and ghostly strings to striking
effect. "Timeless" is one of the best tracks on the album both musically
and lyrically. What is doubly impressive is Caroline's undeniable poetic
gift for writing potent lyrics such as: "Young love is honed so sharp that
the blade can snap embedded in your heart, and when you move you feel the
ache, though the face that caused it fades."
Caroline Lavelle's greatest strengths have always been
her poignant and captivating voice, her powerful cello-playing and her
ability to write gorgeous lyrics and melodies. A Distant Bell
serves as a reminder of these strengths and is a showcase for a superior
talent in the music arena. 