reviews of singer-songwriters with acid folk reference : Alicia Bay Laurel

Private Alicia Bay Laurel : Beyond Living (US,2009)***

A bit different from Alicia’s previous albums, this is a conceptual piece of songs to be meant as a tuning in into a spiritual good vibration and feeling, on moments when people passed over. When Alicia suddenly saw many related and befriended people pass over it seemed as if she had no other option but to give all this an accompanying meaning ; she started to collect songs from different countries to express this.

It starts strongly, with a Hawaiian opening chant which leads to a song inspiration, as a special moment (or person) to remember. The second song is an Australian folk gospel song, a folk version in which the backing vocals gives an Americana gospel feeling. Next we hear a traditional Japanese song, accompanied by harmonium and congas and vocals. Also this one has gospel flavours, reminiscent a bit of ‘Amazing grace’, being a more delicate, religious almost Christmas-sphere sphere. After its vocal parts with high voices (in Japanese), there’s some spoken word by Alicia giving more reference in the song. “Waltzing with Angels” sounds more like a country children song with a Hawaiian effect on the way the mandolin is played, with a happy feeling or energy. The song with originally Swedish lyrics by Christian Richardt (1867) is sung with a Marlin Monroe song voice, and accompanied with bass only.

“The Garden” is again more countryesque, is sung with nice dual voices, leaving a Hawaiian feeling.

“Auntie Nona” sound like a happy children song, old music. The next small song has more religious Christian lyrics which appeal less to me. Also here gospel and country-flavours are mixed nicely. “Nami” turns back to Japan but leaves traces of Hawaii. On “Ruminations” we finally return to the “Amazing Grace” song, turning after a short while into a slow Hawaiian guitar medley on acoustic guitar. Also the last instrumental is a guitar piece with references to Hawaiian melodies.

Except as a dedication to the subject, the album is as much a dedication to spheres provoked from Hawaiian songs and music, to spirituality in gospel music, as quietly privately experienced music, and the fresh kindness of children songs, and a touch of country. All of this is omnipresent throughout with a happy inner strength and positivism towards life and thankfulness to people and their lives.

Homepage : http://www.aliciabaylaurel.com/

Private release Alicia Bay Laurel : Living on Earth (HI,2000)***°

In 1971, Alicia was in her twenties when she started to live in a hippie commune, and had published a kind of handbook for hippies wanting to live in nature and enjoy a child-like innocence and joy. The book, now in reprint- contains charming drawings and became a successful bestseller. Between 1968 and 1975 she wrote additional songs for it, which were all but one, recorded in 2000.

The music has an underlying similar kind of deliberate naivety to enjoy life with a certain practical minimalism, which is feminine, charming and lovely. The songs are short. The stylistic folk simplicities just here and there (like on "In the Morning") are completely forgivable or still suitable because of its strong inner sweetness, which works like a winking eye to inner wish for love, and which still works as a ode to life. There has been attention to some variety in guitar playing. There are also stylistic surprises, like original bluesy interpretations, or an open tuning track called "Vai raga" with Indian flavour, or a 40 voice choir interpretation of the opening track as a perfect closer.

This is a very nice and lovely album which is suitable for repeated listening experiences and which grows with each listen. (I discovered this album through a Japanese collector’s list of psychedelic folk). The album itself is like a resume of one life's experience in a certain world of existence.

Audio : "In The Morning", "Chard and Chives"( or here), "Hang out and Breathe" (or here),

"Nineteen Sixty-Six", "Vai Raga"

Info : http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ablaurel

Homepage : http://www.aliciabaylaurel.com/

Fan webpage : http://60sfurther.com/Tao-Guides-Alicia.htm

Old picture : http://www.vallejo.to/time/1970s_01.htm

Review of the book "Living on Earth" : http://www.januarymagazine.com/artcult/livingonearth.html

& http://www.hippy.com/php/article-5.html or http://www.hippy.com/alicia.htm

PrivateAlicia Bay Laurel : What's living's all about (HI,2006)***°

Like one of my favourite heartfelt singer-songwriter singers (Heather McLeod with 'Funny Thing',1997), also Alicia went to more towards (slightly standard) jazz territories, but as a former hippie, it is clear this is not done as a compromise to please/tease a public. Her interpretations (-most songs are self penned-) are with great feelings, and a certain light happiness beyond each other idea or emotion. She describes the style mix well on the cover as "jazz, blues and other moist situations". With additionally a a bit of New Orleans influence on "Loozy Tune", and a bit of gospel on "Doctor Sun and Nurse Water" (about what the environment of Hawaii did to her), she wrote inspired something between jazz and jazz-blues and something else soulful. I like the idea on "America the blues" in a text by Katherine Lee Bates saying "America, don't wave that flag to con us with your jive...".."we're all family on this planet".. (Just imagine how America is built upon so many nationalities and bought talents from everywhere, -unfortunately mostly still chosen from what are seen as the trustworthy countries and areas (so practically still excluding preferably the French, Spanish, and several Arab-speaking countries and native Indians for economic concurrence, racist, nowadays partly religious, and a few other reasons).. Potentionally I realize America still has all opportunities and a certain openness to experiment for those who succeed to start to participate in the system. This track, like a few tunes elsewhere has some, for me, rather amusing freaky electric avant-garde guitar by Nels Cline (Wilco,..). Alicia, for having experienced a certain earthbound process, matured, she still has the happiest aspects of the hippie ; this sum must having benefited the soul and music of the singer, who on her recent photograph on the back cover still looks 25 or so, so I guess the message of this lies somewhere as a benefit hidden in the music. Rather brilliant as an interpretation I think is "Nature Boy" (originally by Nat King Cole, but also covered by Grace Slick), in an emotionally calm contrapoint-driven moody jazz style, with the help of Enzo Tedesco on upright bass and other instruments. A really fine and enjoyable album.

Audio : http://cdbaby.com/cd/ablaurel3

Homepage : http://www.aliciabaylaurel.com/

Other reviews : http://www.aliciabaylaurel.com/tags/342

& http://www.aliciabaylaurel.com/tags/43

PrivateAlicia Bay Laurel : Living in Hawai'i Style (HI,2001)**°'

Alicia started to live and breathe the essences of the island of Hawaii with its own special ‘heart’ energy. Like she expressed the hippie life book and album, this album expresses original and historic Hawaiian songs, accompanied by a slack key guitar with the help of Lei’ohu Ryder, singer and spiritualist with roots in Hawaiian culture, Sam Ahia, vocalist and jazz guitarist and Rick Asher Keefer, with some ukulele and percussion and vocals. Different from the previous album that seemed to have been an expression of immediate life energy, here a few song experiences have a kind of nostalgic souljazz in them even as if something is lost but still remembered. Elsewhere I feel sadness as if being an ode to the original Hawaiian joyful soul, while the historical songs are the immediate reference, while guitar instrumentals like "Sassy / Manuela Boy / Livin' On Easy" are performed with a blues feeling. Other tracks, like the titletrack have all the luck and sunshine of Hawaii most brightly in them.

Audio : "Kanikau O Hawai'i"(or here), "From Hawaii to you",

"Moonlight and Shadows/Blue Lei","Holua, Kapalaoa, and Paliku","Living in Hawai'i style"

Audio : http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ablaurel2

Homepage : http://www.aliciabaylaurel.com/

Fan webpage : http://60sfurther.com/Tao-Guides-Alicia.htm