Marissa Nadler

"Silvia"/"Dying Breed"

I’ve been going to sleep to Marissa Nadler’s Songs III: Bird On The Water every night for the past month. This has actually been a challenge. Although it’s perfect for sleeping, it’s also easy to get wrapped up in the songs themselves. The stories in the lyrics, the subtle use of not-so-folk instruments among other elements create the kind of warm, inviting environment perfect for study and slumber. “Silvia” is a prime example. The song’s circular finger picking is rooted in a typical folk progression supported by not only one, but several different types of organ. It actually sounds a bit like Vashti Bunyan, with its airy melody floating somewhere above the ether. The rusted feedback that haunts “Dying Breed” is an unlikely pairing with the plucks of acoustic guitar that underscore Nadler’s lyrics. The sweet melody masks the sorrow; "Frank this song is for you love, and for your curly hair/Your earthly days have passed you by/Where, oh where did you go when they took your bones?". Simplicity has always been the greatest strength of folk music. It has also kept most folk music from being appreciated, seeing as how a passing listen cannot differentiate one folk song from another. Only when given the attention they deserve can the depth of artists like Marissa Nadler be truly understood.



Download >>Silvia

Download >>Dying Breed