Bella White – Among Other Things (2023) [FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

Bella White – Among Other Things (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 44:22 minutes | 997 MB | Genre: Alt. Country, Americana, Female Vocal
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Rounder

Bella White’s new album “Among Other Things” sees her music evolving as she embraces a fuller band sound while continuing to write the kind of deeply personal, intimate lyrics that made Just Like Leaving such a captivating debut. Produced by Jonathan Wilson (Angel Olsen, Father John Misty, Margo Price, Billy Strings) at his Topanga Canyon Studios and featuring an array of first-rate musicians including Wilson on drums, Big Thief’s Buck Meek on guitar, and string arranger and keyboard player Drew Erikson (Lana Del Rey).Produced by Jonathan Wilson (Angel Olsen, Father John Misty), Among Other Things embodies a strangely enchanting sound that fully matches the immense depth of Bella White’s inner world – an element brought to life through her lived-in exploration of such complex themes as searching for purpose, the resilience of the human heart, and the deep-rooted tension between restlessness and inertia. Recorded at Fivestar Studios in Topanga Canyon, the album emerged from her free-flowing collaboration with Wilson and a stacked lineup of musicians, including Big Thief guitarist Buck Meek, indie-folk singer/songwriter Erin Rae, Drew Erickson (a multi-instrumentalist/string arranger known for his work with Weyes Blood and Lana Del Rey), and White’s longtime bandmate Patrick M’Gonigle (on fiddle, violin, and tenor guitar). “It was especially exciting for me to have Buck involved with this record,” White notes. “He’s got such an incredible ear for weaving through the songs and finding those little empty spaces that could use a touch of magic.”

In a departure from the stripped-down sonic palette of Just Like Leaving, Among Other Things unfolds with gorgeously textured layers encompassing elements of country, folk, indie, and classic rock. But even its most left-of-center moments, the 10-track album showcases the timeless country musicianship White first developed thanks to her father (a Virginia native who played in bluegrass bands all throughout her childhood) and later honed through years of making the rounds at leading roots-music festivals. To that end, each song is firmly grounded in White’s nuanced acoustic-guitar work and deeply affecting voice—an instrument imbued with wisdom well beyond her years, capable of telegraphing soulful world-weariness and whole-hearted compassion with a captivating grace. Born in Calgary, Bella White made her mark on the scene with the release of her debut album Just Like Leaving. The album caught the attention of Rounder Records which signed her last year. While traditional bluegrass originated in Appalachia, the genre has surely found a safe and loving Canadian home via her songwriting. The twenty-two year-old singer/songwriter and instrumentalist shies away from modern and fussy arrangements, and instead brings a traditional style of music into the contemporary moment by personalizing it to her own experiences. White has shown herself to be a star student of the bluegrass genre, with something new to bring to the table. Her ability to translate modern experience to an old sound is seamless and compelling, and permeates the boundaries of a regional genre with authentic singing and songwriting.

“Bella White walks a fine line separating tradition and introspection on Among Other Things, her second album. On Just Like Leaving, her 2020 debut, White didn’t hide the debt she owes to old-fashioned bluegrass and Appalachian country, surrounding her keening twang with robust instrumentation that brought out the joy as much as sorrow. The twang remains on Among Other Things–if anything it’s more pronounced, functioning as the initial focal point of many tracks–but White’s decision to work with Jonathan Wilson, a producer who previously helmed records by indie-rockers Father John Misty and Angel Olsen, steers her toward a stark intimacy where her music seems starkly unadorned. It’s not a coincidence that Buck Meek, the guitarist in the delicate indie-folkers Big Thief, plays a role here: Among Other Things can recall the interior journeys of indie singer/songwriters. Even though White reveals fragile emotions, she remains rooted in roots music, not only capable of working up a head of steam on “Break My Heart” or settling into the mellow sunset of “Numbers” but sounding resolute during her most vulnerable moments. Occasionally, White’s earnestness as a lyricist and singer can seem at odds with the relaxed ease of the music yet that’s also a considerable part of her appeal. As she opens her heart and chases her thoughts, White writes and performs with a guileless empathy, a quality that gives Among Other Things a raw intimacy even in its quietest moments.” (Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AMG)

“White’s music is natural to the bone. She sings as easy as breathing and that’s a breath of fresh air indeed in bluegrass.” (Folk Alley)

“You know when you have been searching for a certain thing and then you finally find it? That’s…Bella White and her band. She commands your attention with her voice. It’s that place between old-time and bluegrass, the sweet spot. The twang, the piercing high notes. We can only hope that 2020 sees most touring and music for this gal and her band…” (Red Line Roots)

Tracklist:

01. Bella White – The Way I Oughta Go (04:11)
02. Bella White – Flowers On My Bedside (04:49)
03. Bella White – Dishes (04:38)
04. Bella White – Break My Heart (04:12)
05. Bella White – Marilyn (04:50)
06. Bella White – Numbers (04:28)
07. Bella White – Rhododendron (04:48)
08. Bella White – Worth My While (04:54)
09. Bella White – The Best Of Me (04:24)
10. Bella White – Among Other Things (03:01)

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