Hands up who can remember back to 2004? and even more points if you remember the gorgeous debut by Marjorie Fair called Self Help Serenade? If I remember correctly, this featured in my top 10 of that year, and such was my love of the album, I couldn’t wait for the follow up...
Well, its been a long 12 years wait, but finally I Am My Own Rainbow drops digitally via Psychic Bully Records, and the burning question is, has time been kind to Marjorie Fair...?
Marjorie Fair is the New Jersey native multi talented and multi instrumental Evan Slamka, aided on this release by several friends and associates and produced by Joey Waronker who has worked with Beck, REM and ahem, Atoms For Peace. Following the debut, and extensive touring and promotion, the band were suddenly dropped by Capitol despite nearing completion of the follow up and subsequently Slamka put his energies into differing projects with little success.
The enigmatically titled I Am My Own Rainbow sounds unmistakably like Marjorie Fair, which seems most comfortably described as chamber folk pop - think maybe somewhere between Midlake and Blitzen Trapper.
The lovely atmospheric Brothers and Sisters kicks off the record in a typically dreamy manner, with lazy lyrics and gorgeous instrumentation - perhaps Slamka’s residence in LA has an influence on these sun drenched tracks.
Avalanche, half way through the album is an acoustic gem the likes of which Bright Eyes used to write. The theme is one of lost love and heartbreak “and now, the love you had for me is dead”...
Next up Save Time picks us up off the floor with its twinkling layers and subdued lyrics, and almost lulls the listener into a blissful haze of being.
Closing track Songbird is again a simple, gorgeous acoustic lead track, and offers the advice to “don’t make the mistakes I made”
So has time been kind to the band ? Well, to be honest, time has stood still for Marjorie Fair, which is no bad thing, With a sound rooted in the past, but somehow still sounding contemporary, Marjorie Fair sits comfortably alongside the aforementioned bands with the classic dreamy Laurel canyon vibe and aspirations. Just don’t leave us waiting another 12 years for album number 3.
8/11
Keith @kjsmith4082
