''My Echo'' is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter

Laura Veirs Laura Pauline Veirs (born October 24, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter based out of Portland, Oregon. She is known for her folk/ alternative country records and live performances as well as her collaboration with Neko Case and k.d. lang o ...

, released on October23, 2020 by Raven Marching Band. The album received a positive reception from music critics.

Recording and release

Valentine's Day Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, throu ...

2020, Veirs released the song "I Was a Fool"; the song discusses her divorce as do the tracks on ''My Echo''. Veirs calls ''My Echo'' "an album about disintegration". The album was produced with longtime collaborator and Veirs' ex-husband

Tucker Martine Tucker Martine (born January 14, 1972) is an American record producer, musician and composer. In 2010, ''Paste'' Magazine included Martine in their list of the 10 Best Producers of the Decade. Early life Tucker Martine, the son of singer and son ...

and was preceded by

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

s for "Burn Too Bright" in July and "Turquoise Walls" in August.

Critical reception

Album of the Year sums up critical consensus as an 80 out of 100 based on five reviews and

AnyDecentMusic? AnyDecentMusic? is a website that collates album reviews from magazines, websites, and newspapers. Primarily focused on popular music – covering rock, pop, electronic, dance, folk, country, roots, hip-hop, R&B, and rap – albums are adjudg ...

considers ''My Echo'' a 7.4 out of 10, also based on five reviewers. Sara Chodos of ''

Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly Exclaim! print magazine publishes 7 ...

'' gave the release an eight out of 10, praising the diversity of musicianship and instrumentation. In ''

New Statesman The ''New Statesman'' is a British political and cultural magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first connected with Sidney and Beatrice Webb and other leading members ...

'', Ellen Perison-Hagger declared Veirs "one of the greatest living American songwriters" for her ability to use music as

catharsis Catharsis (from Greek , , meaning "purification" or "cleansing" or "clarification") is the purification and purgation of emotions through dramatic art, or it may be any extreme emotional state that results in renewal and restoration. In its lite ...

. Maeri Ferguson of '' No Depression''s review emphasized the solitude in the album's lyrics and the Veirs' "stunningly spare" vocals, especially paired with

Jim James James Edward Olliges Jr. (born April 27, 1978), professionally known as Jim James or Yim Yames, is an American vocalist, guitarist, producer, and primary songwriter of the rock band My Morning Jacket. He has also released several solo albums. ...

. In a 7.7 out of 10 review for '' Paste'', Ben Salmon points out Veirs' comforting confronting the unknown in her lyrics as her personal relationship was deteriorating during recording. Steve Horowitz of

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

discusses this disintegration and the "claustrophobic themes of confinement" in his review, ending it: "Love can't conquer all. Some disasters are just too big, and we end up singing to ourselves. That's why there is music." Eric Mason of ''

Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...

'' considers the recording "an act of self-preservation" in a "backdrop of hopelessness brought about by personal heartbreak and global disasters". In ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...

'', David Chesal gave ''My Echo'' four out of five stars for "a break-up album

hat is A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...

remarkably easy to listen to". Ben Hogwood of ''

musicOMH MusicOMH (stylized as musicOMH) is a London-based online music magazine which publishes independent reviews, features and interviews from across all genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B. History MusicOMH was founded and launched by ...

'' gave ''My Echo'' the same rating, noting the highly skilled musicians and summing up that this album is "sometimes difficult but never less than involving". Samantha Small of '' Under the Radar'' reviewed "Burn Too Bright" upon its release, naming it one of the songs of the week. Concluding the review for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, Mark Deming claimed that "''My Echo'' creates beauty out of fear and uncertainty, and it's among Laura Veirs' most personal and satisfying works to date."

Track listing

Side A #"Freedom Feeling"– 3:19 #"Another Space and Time"– 4:40 #"Turquoise Walls"– 2:39 #"Memaloose Island"– 3:34 #"End Times"– 3:06 Side B #

"Burn Too Bright"– 2:59 #"Brick Layer"– 2:30 #"All the Things"– 3:27 #"I Sing to the Tall Man"– 3:09 #"Vapor Trails"– 4:31

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the ''My Echo'' liner notes. *

– vocals; electric guitar on "Freedom Feeling";

nylon guitar The classical guitar (also known as the nylon-string guitar or Spanish guitar) is a member of the guitar family used in classical music and other styles. An acoustic wooden string instrument with strings made of gut or nylon, it is a precursor ...

on "Another Space and Time", "Burn Too Bright", "Brick Layer", "All the Things", and "I Sing to the Tall Man"; banjo on "Turquoise Walls", Nashville guitar on "Turquoise Walls", acoustic guitar on "Memaloose Island" and "Vapor Trails", piano on "End Times", keyboards on "I Sing to the Tall Man" *

Karl Blau Karl Blau is an American indie rock and country vocalist, producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but originally from Anacortes, Washington. A member of the Knw-Yr-Own/K Records collective, he is know ...

– vocals on "Another Space and Time" and "Brick Layer"; bass guitar on "Freedom Feeling", "Another Space and Time", "Turquoise Walls", 10), saxophone on "Another Space and Time";

snaps Snaps ( ) is a Danish and Swedish word for a small shot of a strong alcoholic beverage taken during the course of a meal. A ritual that is associated with drinking snaps is a tradition in Scandinavia, especially in Denmark and Sweden, where ...

on "Another Space and Time";

baritone guitar The baritone guitar is a guitar with a longer scale length, typically a larger body, and heavier internal bracing, so it can be tuned to a lower pitch. Gretsch, Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, ESP Guitars, PRS Guitars, Music Man, Danelectro, Schec ...

on "Turquoise Walls"; synthesizer on "Turquoise Walls"; electric guitar on "Burn Too Bright"; Moog synth on "Burn Too Bright",

feedback Feedback occurs when outputs of a system are routed back as inputs as part of a chain of cause-and-effect that forms a circuit or loop. The system can then be said to ''feed back'' into itself. The notion of cause-and-effect has to be handled ...

on "Brick Layer" *Justin Chase– piano on "Another Space and Time"; baritone guitar on "Another Space and Time" and "Memaloose Island"; synthesizer on "Another Space and Time", "Memaloose Island", and "End Times"; e-bow guitar on "Memaloose Island"; electric guitar "Burn Too Bright"; Moog synth pads on "Brick Layer";

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

Bill Frisell William Richard Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is an American jazz guitarist, composer and arranger. Frisell first came to prominence at ECM Records in the 1980s, as both a session player and a leader. He went on to work in a variety of contexts ...

– electric guitar on "All the Things" *

– vocals "All the Things" *

– drums on "Freedom Feeling", "Turquoise Walls", "Memaloose Island", and "Burn Too Bright"; percussion on "Another Space and Time"; engineering; mixing on "Freedom Feeling", "Another Space and Time", "Turquoise Walls", and "Memaloose Island";

production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...

*Adrian Olsen– mixing on "End Times", "Burn Too Bright", "Brick Layer", "All the Things", "I Sing to the Tall Man", and "Vapor Trails *Noel Summerville– mastering *Matt Ward– electric guitar on "Vapor Trails"

References

External links

* * {{authority control 2020 albums Albums produced by Tucker Martine Bella Union albums Laura Veirs albums