Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield - Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliott Smith

  by Carl Bookstein

published: 21 / 5 / 2015

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'Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliott Smith' presents two artists, accomplished in indie folk circles, paying a folk flavoured tribute to the acclaimed deceased singer and songwriter Elliott Smith. These 12 songs include many moving renditions of Smith’s work, delivered with bare instrumentation and a depth of feeling. The opener 'Between the Bars' is so soulful from the start- a moving Jessica Lea Mayfield lead vocal; these Smith songs more than deserving of this tribute and treatment. With his rich, subtle, melancholy songwriting, celebrated here, Smith is perhaps as great a voice as indie rock has heard. Seth Avett takes the lead on 'Baby Britain', with an intriguing lyric: “The radio was playing 'Crimson and Clover'… For someone half as smart, you’d be a work of art.” These folk-flavoured renditions eloquently capture Smith’s sadness tinged lyrical poetry. These are fine harmonic duo vocals throughout by Avett and Mayfield. 'Let’s Get Lost' is lovely: “Burning every bridge that I cross/ Found some beautiful place to get lost.” 'Twilight' is heartbreakingly pretty with hushed, resonant vocal tones by Mayfield: “I’m already somebody’s baby… You don’t deserve to be lonely.” 'Angel in the Snow' features a fine calming acoustic guitar strum. The instrumental arrangements on this album are spare, but evocative- well suited to these song treatments. On 'Angeles' a ray of hope shines through the darkness: “All your secret wishes could right now be coming true.” 'Roman Candle' is the most rocking track on the album, yet with lyrics about hurt and pain. The closer 'Memory Lane' showcases rich songwriting by Smith, the tune in its way even perhaps a touch Beatle-esque, particularly as rendered here in this version with piano and strings, describing a place where suffering is just a game. All in all, Avett and Mayfield have succeeded in a project well worth taking on- the enduring songs of Elliott Smith.

Track Listing:-

1 Between the Bars
2 Baby Britain
3 Fond Farewell
4 Somebody That I Used To Know
5 Let’s Get Lost
6 Twilight
7 Ballad of Big Nothing
8 Angel In the Snow
9 Pitseleh
10 Angeles
11 Roman Candle
12 Memory Lane

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/jessicaleamayfield

Label Links:-

http://www.ramseurrecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RamseurRecords/
https://twitter.com/ramseurrecords
https://instagram.com/ramseurrecords/

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