Album Review :
Lauren Shera - Once I Was a Bird

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Artist: Lauren Shera

Album: Once I Was a Bird

Label: Such Small Hands Records

Release Date: June 7, 2011

Reviewer: Eric Pettersson

Tracklisting

  1. Endless Sea
  2. The Panic Bell
  3. Twine
  4. Bright as You Are
  5. Once I Was a Bird
  6. Tether
  7. Storyteller
  8. Stealth
  9. Another Season
  10. In The Darkness
  11. Your Battle
  12. Red Paint

Lauren Shera’s soft acoustic folk music is as calming as a gentle breeze and her thoughtful lyrics are authentic poetry, stirring the spirit with word pictures and careful observation. What started out as something that I thought might make for some good background music ended up sitting right next to The Civil Wars and Damien Rice as frequently-played relaxation music for me. Lauren’s guitar work is surprisingly complex, combining with her words and melodies to draw at least one listener into a slight trance. Drawing from a variety of influences, sometimes it sounds straightforward and American, other times a little more moody and Irish. Guest voices abound, as does the incorporation of additional instruments like a banjo or violin. Her songs cover love and spiritual themes, pain and contentment.

Overall: Once I Was a Bird is a great collection of songs that are very chill and perfect for an early morning drive or some late night pondering.