Lera Lynn - Resistor

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 3 / 7 / 2016

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The second season of ‘True Detective’ has had mixed reviews but one thing most critics have agreed upon is that the music that was featured in the series was exceptional, especially the music from the barroom singer in some scenes. That barroom singer was Lera Lynn and, although none of the songs she sang in 'True Detective' feature on her latest album, ‘Resistor’, and some of the songs on the album lack the starkness of those Lera sang in the series, anyone who was enthralled by the singer/songwriter while watching the show will want to snap this album up. Lera is no newcomer to the music scene although 'True Detective' undoubtedly has extended her audience. Her debut. ‘Have You Met Lera Lynn?,’ was released in 2011, followed up with the ‘Lying in the Sun’ EP and another full-length album ‘The Avenues’. All deserve checking out; newcomers to Lera’s music through 'True Detective' might be under the impression that, having the songs featured in that programme co-written with Rosanne Cash and T Bone Burnett (and the wonderful Bob Neuwirth on one song), Lera’s own solo compositions might possibly fall short of those heard in the series, but this isn’t the case. Dip into any of Lera’s previous albums and you’ll be rewarded. Admittedly to catch some of Lera’s darkest performances you’ll need the 'True Detective' soundtrack album but with Dylan, the Handsome Family, Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen also featured it’s almost an essential purchase anyway, but with Lera only singing on five tracks you also need ‘Resistor’ in your life. While Lera’s earlier albums had a modern country flavour, this latest collection of new songs, although recorded in Nashville with co-producer Joshua George, mines the dark underbelly of country more than her previous work. The unsettled beauty, that otherworldly spookiness that coloured those 'True Detective' songs are here combined with Lera’s already unique take on country music to produce not only her strongest and most cohesive album to date, but one that breaks new ground in her music. The album opens with ‘Shape Shifter’, a pulsating, percussive edgy starter which, despite being rockier than what we’ve come to expect from her, still holds true to Lera’s country roots. As usual with Lera’s work, there’s a melody to hang on to. Even with her most bleak work when her voice is a ghostly companion to unsettling musical sounds Lera always teases out some kind of phrase, either lyrically or instrumentally, to draw the listener in. ‘Shape Shifter’ is almost shorn of Lera’s usual vocal style; there’s little of the otherworldly atmosphere her vocals usually convey and this is a tougher, more determined vocal performance which throws up yet another side to this most versatile singer. It’s one of Lera’s more instantly accessible songs, complete with a truly stunning guitar break that almost steals the song from the vocalist and the perfect introduction to where Lera is coming from musically right now. The use of baritone guitar throughout the album is ideally suited to Lera’s vocal style, ‘What You Done’ reverts to the dreamy, floating vocal which we’ve come to expect from her. The ghostly atmosphere created between the guitar and Lera’s vocals are chilling and makes this track, although cut from a very different cloth than the opening song, another little gem. The album is full of images. It’s difficult to listen to songs such as ‘Drive’ without a movie playing in your head. Visions of deserted towns float past, with the heat bearing down on sand-swept roads, the driving beat and that lonesome yet searing guitar all adding to the vivid picture. The smouldering ‘Slow Motion Countdown’ reveals that Lera is not averse to subtly injecting jazz tones into her songs. It’s one of the longer, atmospheric cuts on the album that in lesser hands would have no doubt meandered into uninteresting territory but Lera and Joshua Grange, who play almost all the instruments on ‘Resistor’, know how to keep the listener interested which is due as much to the choice of instruments and arrangements of the songs as it is to Lera’s compelling vocals and her knack for never forgetting to back her lyrics with an arresting tune, something many of her contemporaries seem to have forgotten how to do. Those who knew Lera’s music before her 'True Detective' exposure will find ‘Resistor’ her most satisfying yet experimental album to date. Those who come to the album via the TV series will be delighted that Lera hasn’t deserted that sound totally, but that she’s just expanded on it. And in doing so has produced her best collection of songs to date which is going to be played and enjoyed long after the series which introduced her to a wider audience has been forgotten. If ‘Resistor’ is any indication of what Lera Lynn is capable of, she is going to be around and appreciated for a very long time.

Track Listing:-

1 Shape Shifter
2 What You Done
3 Drive
4 Cut + Burn
5 Run The Night
6 For The Last Time
7 Fade Into Black
8 Slow Motion Countdown
9 Scratch + Hiss
10 Little Ruby

Band Links:-

http://www.leralynn.com/
https://www.facebook.com/leralynn
https://twitter.com/leralynn
https://www.youtube.com/user/leralynn
https://plus.google.com/103437237222109669193

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