Bella White A Sign in the Weather
Bella White has what I call a hundred-year voice – ancient (by country music standards), yet timeless. That’s her instrument and her gift. What she does with that voice is what makes her music compelling. White’s third full-length album, A Sign in the Weather, follows her from Vancouver Island to New Orleans as she maintains her stream-of-consciousness storytelling while finding the heartbreak, and the good, that comes with change.
White’s move far, far south brought about a new co-producer (Ross Farbe) and a tight group of mostly local musicians to soundtrack her travelogue. Album opener “Trouble” unspools at an appropriately languid Southern pace, guided along by Nikolai Shveitser’s gorgeous pedal steel, as White starts her unhurried journey with a killer opening line – “There’s no such thing that I’ve ever seen/That could outrun all the trouble that you gave to me.” The album’s first single, “Little Thing,” with its shuffling rhythm and a steady fiddle line from longtime collaborator Patrick M’Gonigle, indicates a desire to move forward, even as White wrestles with the decision – “Should I just kiss all this goodbye?”
While White’s excellent 2023 record, Among Other Things, rested primarily (and understandably) on her voice and Appalachia-via-Calgary instrumentation, A Sign in the Weather finds her pushing beyond her lifelong comfort zone. “Dream Song,” aided by lovely vocals from bassist Gina Leslie, brushes up against Laurel Canyon warmth, even as her hopes are dashed – “I hoped for a better day/One I wanted to remember with you.” Leslie also shines in “Pink Living Room,” with a bass line that bolsters White’s song about finding new comfort, both in a place and in a person – “And he’ll say to me that he’s sorry when he shouldn’t have to.” “Two Times” even throws in some synth (via Farbe) which balances quite nicely with Shveitser’s wandering pedal steel. But the acoustic-driven “Without Making a Sound” is vintage Bella White; achingly sad vocals (again backed by synth and steel) as she struggles to accept a core truth – “I’m not sure I ever forgot/That I’ve never been much for sticking around.” Change is hard, but in Bella White’s case, it leads to beautiful art.
Song I Can’t Wait to Hear Live: “False Start” – The band meshing across A Sign in the Weather promises to make the songs shine on the road, none more so than this uptempo number. With its excellent electric guitar/pedal steel interplay, it kinda rocks!
A Sign in the Weather was produced by Ross Farbe and Bella White, recorded and mixed by Farbe and mastered by Heba Kadry. All songs written by Isabel Farley White. Musicians on the album include White (lead vocals, guitar), Farbe (guitar, synthesizer, percussion, organ), Sam Gelband (drums, percussion, vocals), Gina Leslie (bass, vocals), Nikolai Shveitser (pedal steel), Patrick M’Gonigle (fiddle), Duncan Troast (piano), Nick Corson (guitar) and Maddy Kirgo (vocals).
Go here to order/stream A Sign in the Weather (out June 5):
https://rounder.com/collections/bella-white
https://ffm.to/bwsignintheweather
Check out tour dates here: https://bellawhitemusic.com/shows/
Enjoy some of our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Bella White “Five For Silver”