To Be Still is the follow-up to Alela Diane's critically-acclaimed 2006 debut The Pirate's Gospel. That record brought the Nevada city, CA-reared musician a dedicated following across the globe (especially in Europe, where she recently finished a tour of mid-sized concert halls). Considering that early copies of The Pirate's Gospel were given away to friends in hand-sewn covers just a few years ago, this is not only quite a leap, but a well- deserved one.
"It was a unique and edifying experience to make this record," Alela writes. "I had never made anything with so many sounds!" From the mandolin on "Tatted Lace" and the gorgeous pedal steel on the title track to the strings on "Take Us Back" and the multi- tracked vocals throughout, it's clear that Ms. Diane's musical palette has expanded. Where Pirate's Gospel benefited from a bare bones production that emphasized her powerful voice, the fuller and more varied sounds here help bring the strength of her songwriting to the fore.
To Be Still was created throughout 2007 & 2008. "It began in Portland, OR and was
finished in scatters between tours at my dad's home studio in Nevada City, CA," Alela
says. "I wanted to record this collection of songs using arrangements which would
represent them in their finest form. These songs requested more instrumental filigree
than those on The Pirate's Gospel. It was challenging to delicately yet purposefully
incorporate instrumentation into songs that I was so used to singing by myself. I was
determined to make it work, because I wanted percussion! I wanted to hear the
lonesome bow of the violin! I heard many harmonies in my head, and so I set out to
capture them."
In the past, Alela's work has been associated with one or more musical movements. And while no music exists in a complete vacuum, the wholly original music on To Be Still was borne of contemplation and isolation. "Most were written in the cabin in Nevada City, and during my stint of domesticity in the Victorian flat further North; others were captured elsewhere, in moments of calm," she says. The album shows Alela Diane to be as compelling and unique a voice as Will Oldham or Karen Dalton.
Alela's remarkable voice remains a joy; she can let loose with gale force when she wants to and can reign it in with a ghostly, mournful style at other times. Those little songbird curlicues she adds in the midst of a melody are heart-aching and beautiful. "These songs are crafted of love and lore," Alela explains. "Some were inspired by stories passed on by my mother and grandmothers, while others came from lilting days here and there. " Like The Pirate's Gospel, this album is largely a family affair–recorded with her musician father and their shared friends, including visionary singer Michael Hurley (who guests on "Age Old Blue.")
Nothing was decided on before they started recording; arrangements were arrived at
"casually and magically" according to the young artist. "Rondi Soule, who played violin
on the record, gave me lessons on a tiny red violin when I was five years old," she says."Pete Grant, who has performed with my dad's Grateful Dead cover band, played pedal steel on a couple of songs—and amazingly enough, he was the man who taught Jerry Garcia to play the instrument. Nina Gerber, who performed on "Tatted Lace" and "To Be Still," made her start as Kate Wolf's guitar player in the late '70s when she was a
teenager. My ladies, Mariee Sioux & Alina Hardin, lent their beautiful voices to the
harmonies I imagined, while my good friend Matt Bauer jammed the banjo. Tom McGee
Bevitori, who is dear to me, played bass on many of the songs, even though he had
never played bass before. Making this record took time, but eventually the songs were
woven together delicately and appropriately. All the loose ends of melody and madness
were carefully sewn, tied, glued, and fastened into place."
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