“Maisie Marra is a work of fiction and any resemblance to real persons or events is 100% on purpose.”
This week’s #FeatureFriday is Maisie Marra’s 1991 by elvira depressedly
Beneath the guitars, the lo-fi crunchy drums and the gorgeous vocals there’s a lyrical thread that tells a story and whether it is fiction or not it holds a truth. It feels like a 1990s grainy Brit indie movie. Not the flashy no mark gangster shite written by the poshboy but the one that only 5 people ever got to see but it left an emotional mark on all 5 of those people.
The guitar here is used as both an instrument and a sound producer. The slide guitars bring an emotional depth that some guitar playing can’t match. It feels ethereal, the reverb also used as both instrument and effect. Everything feels organic, even the crunchy lo-fi drum machine beats which never get carried away with themselves.They always serve the song and the music.
The subtle almost mournful vocals feel buried like feelings but if you read the lyrics as you listen they are given life and it’s like staring at one of those magic eye books, suddenly something else opens up and you see whole thing. Yet if you close your eyes you can enjoy it just for the music. It’s dense and spacious, downbeat but uplifting – to butcher Kris Kristofferson it’s, “partly truth, partly fiction. A musical contradiction.”. That is not to derogatory, it’s a compliment. Being their first release this is a mighty fine piece of work.
“1991” is a piece that gets better the more I listen to it. The tempo of the songs is deliberately slow and together with Maisie’s soft, almost whispered singing, creates a dreamy atmosphere, that grabs the listeners attention and doesn’t ever let go. The instrumentation is simple, but tremendously effective.
However the lyrics and the musical storytelling are where this EP shines brightest. Choosing a grounded, but evocative language over a more heady, poetic approach, was the absolutely right choice for the stories that are being told here. All five tracks talk about longing, pain and hardship, but also about hope, rebellion and defiance.
Some are about relationships that are probably not very healthy, yet feel like the most important thing in the world. There is the anticipation of getting hurt, but no willingness to avoid it. And then there are moments, where instrumentation and lyrics are portraying strength and a determination to live their life how they choose.
The storytelling feels young and energetic in stark contrast to the general slowness of the music, giving the intent behind the songs added weight and impact. Considering that this is the debut EP of a young artist, there isn’t anything more I could wish for. The music is relatable, powerful and highly emotional. I can only give this my highest recommendation.
“back of an old cavalier jesus hanging on the rear view mirror”
– there is nothing for you here
Previously…
The Nirvana Fallacy (or, Mania and Her Sophomore Slump) – Saint Louie
- #FeatureFriday – 1991 by Maisie Marra
- “Muay Thai Bag” by Foxcall
- A Place To Go When You Need To Hide by Rose Alaimo
- #FeatureFriday – And the Bones by Dr. Organ
- #FeatureFriday WIENER DEMEANOR by Cheer Captain
- #FeatureFriday – Effusion by Sweet Freeze
- Beginings Revisted by Jim France
- Recording in Progress by Aaron Smith
- Believer, a.k.a. The Last Shall Be the First
- Scrapyard Boyz: Ultra Despair Duo – Grizzly, Slogan
- The Nirvana Fallacy (or, Mania and Her Sophomore Slump) – Saint Louie
- The Cocker Spaniels Are Still Alive, And So Are You
- X by Everything’s a Crime
- Take to The Streets by Eparapo
- Ashenheart – Faded Gold
- Underground by Trina Chakrabarti
- Happy New Year #Feature Friday
- Adrift by Angry Blue Planet
- Hells Bells – Dallas Orbiter’s Spaceman Things