Lady Lamb the Beekeeper made quite the impression on me with her debut, Ripely Pine and a live set that I caught at Schubas. Since then she covered Girl Called Alex by Kurt Vile and made the HearYa Top 50 in 2013. Well now she’s signed to Mom + Pop Records and will be releasing her new album, After, on March 3rd. Here’s some info from her PR firm.
To many, Lady Lamb the Beekeeper (aka Aly Spaltro) is an enigma. Her songs are at once intimate and unbridled- both deeply personal and existentially contemplative. Spaltro is a fearless performer who can command a pitch-black stage with nothing more than her voice. Yet, when the band bursts in and the lights come up, what began as a demonstration of restraint shifts seamlessly into an emphatic snarl.
It was in Spaltro’s home state of Maine that she first found her voice among thousands of films in the independent rental store where she worked the closing shift. After hours, Spaltro would create songs completely uninhibited by musical conventions, learning to play and sing as she hit record. A handful of these songs were carefully curated and fully arranged for her debut studio album, Ripely Pine (Ba Da Bing! Records).
On her newest work, After, Spaltro explores dualities further – giving equal attention to both the internal and external, the before and after. Her most palpable fears and memories are on display here, with a familiar vulnerability even more direct than her last effort. These new works – which found Spaltro co-producing with her Ripely Pine partner Nadim Issa – are sonically vibrant, with an assertive use of grit and brightness. Thematically, they provide direct insight into Spaltro’s rumination on mortality, family, friendships, and leaving home. Where Ripely Pine sometimes lacked in personal narrative and directness is where After shines. The last line on After encompasses the self-assurance of the work as a whole, stating “I know where I come from.” This theme is constant throughout the album.
I might be adding 1 + 1 and getting 3 but I would imagine that due to the release date, she’ll be down at SXSW. She’s not one to be missed. I can guarantee Jefe and I will be at one set.
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Lady Lamb the Beekeeper is here
