Blair - Die Young

 

The ever growing Los Angeles record label Autumn Tone Records (http://bit.ly/ejheQH ) has already proved its worth by showcasing fine alternative talent, from the likes of The Henry Clay People, Futurebirds, The Happy Hollows and Travel By Sea. Another addition to the strong West Coast community in recent years, singer- songwriter Blair, has heightened the labels credibility further and enforced the organic quality surrounding the collective. Blair, however, appears organic not just in sound, but also in nature. 

Growing up in New Orleans in the 90's, Blair's musical scope was vast.  Having been immersed in jazz, blues and a flurry of sounds and styles emanating from her mothers record player, Blair's love for melody and feeling grew and evolved. Add in the mixture of  influential artists and bands glaring out from the typical mid 90's radio station, and the stage is set for the young musician's journey into creativity. After 5 years of dedicated song writing, Blair emerged in 2007 with her brief Pluto EP, followed in 2010 by the quintessential dream indie pop album, Die Young. 

As the listener travels along Blair's musical path on Die Young, one can distinctly pick out specific themes, such as anger, passion and abandonment, and how said elements have been received. Introductory burst 'Rampage' sets the scene quite comfortably with its snarling frustration at life, a reaction that leaks through fellow tracks like 'Kamakaze' and  title track 'Die Young'. The interesting factor though is that despite their bleak tones, most of the tracks contained here fall pleasantly on the ears, placing the hateful lyrics against a gentle spring breeze. Tracks including 'My Turn', 'Paris, France' and highly anthemic leading single 'Hello Halo' all fall under this category, whilst others such as the harrowingly personal 'Wake Up Shake Up' and the alienation of 'Wolfboy' opt for the more darkening mood. One of the purest moments on the album resides in 'Hearts'; a slice of driving melodic pop, behind a curtain of rough and ready guitar. This track stands out simply because it manages to put across the message of true love not just lyrically, "My heart yearns and my heart aches, my heart hides in a cassette tape", but also sonically, providing the accompanying tone to the image Blair creates. 

In terms of general sound; Blair tends to sit somewhere in the indie dream pop landscape, but with a tinge of rebellion and intrigue (think Feist, Death Cab For Cutie, Bon Ivor, PJ Harvey), ultimately giving it an overall charm. To say that Die Young is groundbreaking or definitive of its genre would be inaccurate and misguided. Yet, where it lacks in innovation and power, it gains in honesty and raw organic musicality, making it a strong and highly necessary debut album. The strength lies also in the effortlessness and natural ability of Blair, which flows right through the entirety of Die Young. Truly a testament to the organic rise of the Autumn Tone label, it's talented torch bearers, and most importantly, the music.