It seems to me that after I’ve sat down to review a new album or track from an artist, I finish with the feeling of “hey, that was pretty good music” and then I move on about my day. Today, I was introduced to an artist that makes me wonder how and why I have never heard of them before. That artist is Lissie.
Lissie, or Elisabeth Maurus, is an indie folk and country artist that comes from a town in Illinois called Rock Island. She found an interest in music from a very young age, but really became passionate about it in high school as an escape from the drama that seemed to surround her. She gained a lot of popularity in early 2008 when she opened for Lenny Kravitz on his Love Revolution Tour.
Already having two full length albums under her belt, she released her newest album, titled My Wild West, on February 12.
Lissie’s Newest LP Is Rich and Deeply Moving
Starting off the album is the instrumental intro “My Wild West Overture.” While the piece is only a little over a minute long, you can tell that it is really building up into something good. It does not start off too powerful, but rather eases its way in.
The next track, “Hollywood,” starts out with a passionate piano solo that leads into soft, reverberating vocals. There is a raspiness to her voice, which seems to add more power to the song as it builds up even further. The song stays similar throughout, and finishes with delicate ease.
“Wild West” seems to blend together into a sound that resembles Lana Del Rey and Ellie Goulding. There’s a country twang to her voice here that reminds me of a young Shania Twain. The song definitely seems to be the type that you would hear remixed on mainstream radio, something that can be very versatile. Lissie’s voice in this song could be easily paired with soft billowing instrumentals or be set to a heavy dance club beat, making her an artist that is very flexible and interesting in their style.
Later on in the album, you’ll hear “Sun Keeps Risin’,” which starts out with the sound of an owl in the forest. Calming guitar begins about 45 seconds into the song, and again we are soon introduced to the silky vocals that I simply cannot get tired of. Having the simplicity of the guitar set with the sound of the forest makes this a very unique song, and is one that I could see myself listening to on a warm summer night.
The song picks up at the 3:15 mark, merging with electric guitar and steady drumming to add a powerful platform for her voice. She seems to go hand in hand with the instruments and gains a bit of bass to her voice, which fades out along with the instruments. This would have to be one of the most beautiful songs I have heard in a very long time.
Finishing off the album we have “Ojai,” which is no different from the rest in that it is completely beautiful. How had I never heard of Lissie before? (Really shaming myself for my lack of knowledge now!) She seems to have a way of putting you in a trance. The emotion that is behind this song makes me miss a city in California (Ojai, the city Lissie moved from in 2015) that I’ve never been to.
My Wild West is not the album for you if you do not enjoy developing deep connections to music. It is, in the shortest of terms, a work of art: beautiful and deep. You will listen, and it will stick with you.
Find My Wild West here.