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Jul 30, 2020 By Samantha Small Laura Veirs

Laura Veirs is back. With over 10 solo albums, one supergroup LP, case/lang/veirs, and an additional songwriting credit with Sufjan Stevens’ magnificent, Carrie & Lowell, Veirs is returning with more expertise storytelling on her 11th solo album, My Echo, which she claims, “knew I was getting divorced before I did.” To give a sneak preview she also released the new song “Burn Too Bright.” My Echo is due out October 23 via Raven Marching Band and Bella Union.

“Burn Too Bright” is technically a lyric video. But instead of just adding text over pictures, Veirs’ scripture is written in chalk. The track itself is a gorgeous blend; Veirs delicate voice and elegant string accompaniment juxtapose forceful drums and powerful chords. But like the music, the song seems to suggest sometimes something so beautiful cannot be contained—it “burns too bright” and blinds everything in its path. At the last moment the two diverging sounds join together in a hurry. They then fade out in a disjointed cacophony as the camera goes to a birds eye view and you see all the lyrics layed out against the concrete.

Veris’ last record The Lookout was released in April of 2018. Since then she has separated from her husband, producer Tucker Martine. According to her, My Echo tracks through this difficult time in her life. She does get some help though, with features from Jim James, Bill Frisell, Karl Blau, M. Ward, and many others.

Here is her full statement on My Echo:

“My Echo is my 11th solo album. It’s my ‘my songs knew I was getting divorced before I did’ album. My conscious mind was trying as hard as I could to keep my family together but my subconscious mind was working on the difficult struggles in my marital life. I was part of a ‘Secret Poetry Group’ that met and wrote poems monthly for a year during the writing of this record. Many of my poems turned into songs for this album. By the time the album was being mixed last fall, my ex-husband/producer Tucker Martine and I had decided to go our separate ways. We were a great musical team for many years but we struggled to be compatible in our marriage and family life and that struggle is reflected in this album.

“In this new batch of songs I imagine escaping from some sort of prison or cage. Advancing age, the confines of domesticity, our oppressive government and the threat of the apocalypse permeate these songs. In these songs my heart craves certainty and permanence but none is to be found. It’s an album about disintegration. It reveals my artist’s intuition at work.

“Although these songs were written before quarantine they are strangely relevant to times in which we find ourselves currently. You will find me staring at the walls (‘Turquoise Walls’). You will find me feeling grateful to be alive (‘Memaloose Island’). You will find me accepting the ephemeral nature of life (‘Vapor Trails’ and ‘All the Things’). You will find me searching for personal freedom while feeling trapped (‘Freedom Feeling’). You will find me trying to accept that sometimes the best thing to do is to sit still and do nothing at all (‘Another Space and Time’).

“I hope you enjoy these new songs.”

My Echo Tracklist:

1. Freedom Feeling
2. Another Space and Time
3. Turquoise Walls
4. Memaloose Island
5. End Times
6. Burn Too Bright
7. Brick Layer
8. All the Things
9. I Sing to the Tall Man
10. Vapor Trails

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