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| Sarah Siskind Pushes American Music In Thrilling New Directions On May 26, Sarah Siskind, a beloved talent in songwriting circles, steps to center stage with her own album 'Say It Louder, ' on Red Request Records/Thirty Tigers. The album features thirteen new songs all written by Siskind. It was recorded at the Sound Emporium in Nashville and co-produced by Siskind and Jason Lehning (Lyle Lovett, Guster, Nickel Creek). Grammy-winning master musician Jerry Douglas guests on two tracks. Siskind's unique gift for fusing tradition and experimentation has won her some high profile fans. Alison Krauss has had two hit singles with the Siskind-penned "Goodbye Is All We Have" and "Simple Love, " the latter of which earned a Grammy nomination. Bon Iver routinely ends his live shows with Siskind's "Lovin's For Fools" (the two toured Europe together in late 2008). Bill Frisell has recorded with Sarah and the two will share the stage this spring. And one of Siskind's biggest influences, Jennifer Kimball of The Story, called her "the perfect combination of Joni Mitchell and Gillian Welch - a truly unique voice." Siskind has been writing and recording since she was a pre-teen, and she has been hailed as "utterly captivating" by Performing Songwriter, and "prodigiously talented with elegant, deeply felt songs, " by Paste Magazine. "In a way, this album is a product of my upbringing, " says Siskind. Her parents, Mark and Sally Wingate, were renowned bluegrass/old-time musicians who played the southeast festival circuit and hosted frequent picking parties in Siskind's North Carolina childhood home. Siskind's father was also a record collector with an eclectic ear. Siskind explains "I spent more time in my dad's record room than any other room in the house, " and she later developed a love for everything from early gospel recordings, to the progressive sounds of Mahavishnu Orchestra and Rush. These influences are distilled into a unique sound all Siskind's own on 'Say It Louder.' One hears influences as old as the Appalachian hills in "Go, " while those same traditions are pushed in exciting new directions on edgy, impassioned rockers like "Falling Stars" and "Dress Me Up." write your comments about the article :: © 2009 Jazz News :: home page |