Laura Cortese – Lucky Water
This is Boston, MA artist Laura Cortese’s first album in 6 years, & she continues to have an engaging voice & her music is played meticulously. Her songs explore shifts in marriage, motherhood & dual citizenship (she resides in Belgium now). Musically Laura (5-string violin/fiddle) shifts between folk, roots rock & indie pop.
This new collection was captured in a rural North Carolina studio & it dips into chamber folk that renders some songs spare sounding & melodically challenged. Fortunately, Laura doesn’t dabble too heavily in effects, echo & other indie-artist faux spaciousness that allows some actually good songs to sound tinny. Laura’s voice is the focus…she has a pleasantly ethereal approach to her material in contrast to her warm almost at times Appalachian violin (“Calling Across the Lake – Reprise”).
The 10-track Lucky Water (Dropped Oct 9/Compass Records) comes alive on the title song with its appealing sound. The reproduction has a vividness that slowly adds to its heady brew. Good melody & musicianship & it’s well-arranged. Produced by Lollies & Laura in North Carolina, Nashville & Belgium. The conclusion adds occasional reeds & the song comes full circle.
Laura’s balladry has warm sincerity in “Calling Across the Lake” with spare musicality & her up-close intimate voice. Together they create a nice immediacy. Her ability to allow her voice to sound fragile adds to the drama of the lyric. The light touch piano adds a cocktail-lounge jazz ambience to the performance. Keeping the music ethereal, airy & almost in a Julee Cruise style.
“Tied In a Knot” is strong. It could slide into a mainstream density, but the song is arty enough to be taken more seriously. Excellently arranged, gentle piano notes, the reeds at the coda creates an aurally incisive sound & Laura puts forth her best vocals. Why? I don’t know. It pulls up a chair in my mind & stays. With “Hush Now Child” this has a pleasant juvenile vocal supported by what sounds like a picked violin. Laura does manage to add color to her compositions. Not all songs have catchy melodies, but I understand that’s the style today. But Laura doesn’t meander; she’s focused & skilled.
“Starry Ceiling” is a little more compelling. A heavier approach. If progressive rock had a commercial mainstream cousin, this music could qualify. Laura’s voice is well applied to this without sounding pompous. Matt’s reeds open an artery in the performance. Excellent pairing of Laura & Matt. Some listeners may find it pretentious; I find it cleverly assimilated. At least Laura isn’t always singing with an angst in her tone. A popular ingredient.
Highlights – “You’re All Sound,” “Lucky Water,” “Calling Across the Lake,” “Tied In a Knot,” “Hush Now Child,” “Starry Ceiling” & “Half Mile Away.”
Musicians – Matt Douglas (reed instruments)
CD photo courtesy of Steph Larsen. CD @ Bandcamp & https://thisislauracortese.com/