One of my favorite ways to listen to music is in the rawest form possible – whether that’s sitting around a late-night fire with my newest favorite storyteller, or walking through a dimly lit house with someone strumming on the couch as I twist one up. I think of scenes from Ethan Hawke’s movie Blaze, when Sybil saunters around as Blaze Foley picks through a new hit. It’s that kind of feeling you get from Rachel Brooke’s Sings Sad Songs: rough, raw, and real.
The new record was recorded in Brooke’s basement with nothing more than a couple of mics – one for vocals and one for guitar. She wanted to capture the songs in their purest form and that she’s done.
With two fully produced albums following closely behind, this is the first of three new records. This intimate collection of lo-fi tracks is an unflinching exploration of longing, love, loss, and life’s deeper questions, all set against the dark backdrop of America’s unsettling future.
“It feels like we’re all just trying to outrun sadness, pretending everything’s okay, and constantly looking for the next thing to make us whole,” says the Rattlesnake of Underground Country Music. “But I’ve found that the only way out is through. This record is about embracing sadness, letting it breathe, and finding some kind of healing in the process.”
This sentiment echoes throughout the album, but lines like “I’ll keep mining those silver linings, digging deep for some rough diamonds” from the tear-jerker track Silver Linings not only reflect where Rachel Brooke has been, but also where she’s headed.
– @meanwhile_in_music
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