Lisa Hannigan - Sea Sew

  by Lisa Torem

published: 6 / 5 / 2009

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Review

Ex-songwriting partner, Damien Rice, pulled a “Pete Best” on Irish multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter Lisa Hannigan – announcing in the middle of a tour that their seven-year alliance was over – but Hannigan, absolving herself of any more shenanigans, has come out stronger in spite of it. Her debut ten-track release, 'Sea Sew' is lovingly arranged from the whimsical, “stitched and knitted” CD cover - which she and her mother created - to the diverse selection of songs celebrating close and distant relationships. And I emphasize, “celebrating” because Hannigan’s lyrics seem carefully chosen to avoid love’s pangs when they echo regret, panic or ennui. 'An Ocean And A Rock' is a pantheon to a long-distance, love affair - each verse bathed between sterling, string passages. “I feel you in the pocket of my overcoat, I feed your words through my buttonholes,” she resounds. “I spoon you into my coffee cup, spin you through a delicate wish…” These seemingly tedious tasks cause narrator Hannigan to miss the object of her affection, but not pine. There are some vocal reminiscents of 60’s guru Donovan in 'Venn Diagram'. And though Hannigan’s voice is not one which belts or slithers, she quenchingly gushes forth emotion like a salty, luke-warm wave in the Irish Sea. In, 'Splishy Splashy', we’re at the tender mercies of a heavenly chord progression which cleverly bypasses resolution. Hannigan elongates the phrases, “she waits her turn, she waits her time and all her love, it sings, it shines.” In poppy pursuit of the perfect friendship, Hannigan extends an olive branch in hopes of reciprocal agreeance – this branch is sturdy and supple. “If you write letters or you panic on the phone, I’d like to call you…I don’t know if you can swim, if the sea has any draw for you,” she chatters. Then the casual tone deepens: “I assume that your heart’s been broken – I’d like to know you.” 'I Don’t Know' is a tidy picture- frame onto which you can hang your remaining innocence. 'Keep It All' is a more percussive-meld with an eye out for staccato, coupled with an ethereal melody replete with accented string- jabs in the style of Andrew Byrd. “For you, it wouldn’t do wandering all adrift so I keep it all, for you, there’s fire in the belly of our ship, I keep it all.” 'Courting Blues' is the single cover written by Bert Jansch. Hannigan winsomely curries contrapuntal favour alongside Tom Osander’s military-Tattoo style drums. “When you feel like your flavour has gone the way of a pre-shelled pistachio,” recalls the song 'Pistachio'. These vocals evaporate in your teacup. 'Teeth' renders imagery such as “Put me back in the battle where the sea meets the sun, where the bones and their rattles don’t mean anything to anyone.” I wanted to hear a little more pzazz musically in this tune, though the book-ending of the other tracks certainly pumps up any holes in the skein. Last track, 'Lille', is the consummate “sea-shanty.” “He went to sea for a day. He wanted to know what to say. When he’s asked what he’d done in the past for someone…” Some lovely musical touches abound such as the delicate counter-melody which floats under Hannigan’s narrative and above the harmonium’s misty tidings. 'Sea Sew'fully embraces.

Track Listing:-

1 An Ocean and a Rock
2 Venn Diagram
3 Sea Song
4 Splishy Splashy
5 I Don't Know
6 Keep It All
7 Courting Blues
8 Pistashio
9 Teeth
10 Lille

Band Links:-

http://lisahannigan.ie/
https://www.facebook.com/lisahannigan
https://twitter.com/LisaHannigan