Kassi Valazza From Newman Street
We all know the old saw about the definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Sometimes, though, doing the same thing and expecting the same result is more fraught with failure. Singer-songwriter Kassi Valazza, until recently based in Portland, Oregon, released two excellent records while in the Pacific Northwest, including 2023’s psych-laced triumph Kassi Valazza Knows Nothing. But life and love (and her living quarters) were growing stale, so she forced herself to force change. Her new record, From Newman Street, is both a tribute to Portland gloom (and that beloved former apartment), as well as recognition of the power of moving on.
That idea of movement starts on From Newman Street’s first track, the jangly “Better Highways.” While Valazza is still stuck in Portland – “While I wait beside my window/Soulless words they come to me” – the idea of departure has begun to seem appealing. The album’s first single, though, gives us an indication of how “stuck” she’s feeling, The languid “Weight of the Wheel” paced by Erik Clampitt’s gorgeous pedal steel, finds Valazza stuck in amber – “All things look the same/From the pillow on my bed.”
The songs are split roughly halfway between Valazza’s waning time in Portland and her decampment to New Orleans. Likewise, her band on From Newman Street is a mix of the excellent players from Knows Nothing and new invitees. The result is a little less spaced out psych, with more of a turn toward folky country, One of the New Orleans tunes, “Your Heart’s a Tin Box,” is a road-worthy, acoustic-and-percussion twanger (with lovely backing vocals from Camille Weatherford and Casey Jane Reece-Keigler) that both addresses the economic pitfalls of being a touring musician – “Two months of selling out most of the shows/I’d sure like to see where all that money goes” – while also dismissing those who don’t support her dreams – “Disassociation/They want you to think/You think too much.”
While Valazza is, without a doubt, glad to have a decade of Pacific Northwest memories in the rearview, she’s not without wisps of regret. The title track, featuring the singer soloing with her acoustic guitar, flashes back to those last days of inertia – “Wishing you well/From Newman Street/How is the weather on the open sea/Now I sit here all alone/Keeping control.” It represents that time when painful memories start to hurt less, and maybe even engender a bit of fondness. That’s the first sign of being ready to move on.
Song I Can’t Wait to Hear Live: “Birds Fly” – If you loved Valazza’s 2023 single “Watching Planes Go By,” as much as I did, this pensive, cosmic jam will hit the same spot.
From Newman Street was produced and arranged by Kassi Valazza and Band, recorded and mixed by Matt Thomson and mastered by Jon Neufeld. All songs written by Valazza. Musicians on the album include Valazza (vocals, acoustic guitar), Erik Clampitt (pedal steel), Tobias Berblinger (organ, Rhodes, Space Echo, Mellotron, bass), Sydney Nash (vibraphone, bass, acoustic guitar, organ), Ned Folkerth (drums, percussion), Lewi Longmire (electric guitar, fiddle, acoustic 12 string guitar, bass), Camille Weatherford (backing vocals) and Casey Jane Reece-Keigler (backing vocals).
Go here to order From Newman Street (out May 2): https://kassivalazza.bandcamp.com/album/from-newman-street
Check out tour dates here: https://www.kassivalazza.com/tour
Enjoy our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Kassi Valazza “Kassi Valazza Knows Nothing”