Brave Land
A concept album about mountains, OUT NOW
Brave Land is a concept album about mountains, and the courage, wisdom, and other worldly connection they represent.
Mountains have the courage to reach up, off the earth, beyond what is easily known. Ascending slowly with patience over eons, they are ancient and wise. From my place in the valley, I am held and protected, enclosed within their stone and earth. One foot then the other, I can follow their courageous example and trek up, connecting to the sky world, but always with my feet on their wise and ancient ground. The earth and the sky at once. Earth bound and ethereal.
Over the Mountain
Over The Mountain asks the question “What is art, before it meets its maker?” I wrote this song at the Banff Centre, in a valley in the Rocky Mountains. The Banff Centre is a hub of art and artists, and there were hundreds of us there working in all different mediums, ushering in art from over the mountain.
Eclipse
It can feel like there is a lot to sit with in the dark. I witnessed a full lunar eclipse in the mid-winter while in Banff National Park, and it was profound. The loss of the reassuring light of the moon is a lot to handle, especially when we are already in our darkest moments of the winter. I learned a lot by sitting with the dark through that experience. There was something about enduring, moving through, and accepting that darkness that made me more able to trust my own ability to endure, move through, and accept. That winter eclipse taught me that I can make it through my own darkness, too.
Dominae Sanctae
The title of the song means Holy Women, and it is about and for the holy women of my family, and of my lineage.
It was important that this song be written in Latin because I come from a long, long line of women who prayed in this language. I wrote it using imitative polyphony, an old fashioned Renaissance style of composing that might have been familiar to these ancestors. In live performances of this song I sing and play harmony on the viola at the same time.
A Lover’s Word
A Lover’s Word really stands on its own. It is meant to be stripped down and vulnerable. I love the interplay of the strings on this one. Quintin (double bass) and Nat (cello), wow I am so thankful for your collaborative string powers and your courage to abandon the conventional. The push and pull of the string parts makes this tune for me. That tension says so much.
I like to sit with this tune, and feel the pull of the strings, and the pull of my heart <3.
I don’t want to say too much else about this one. I’ll just leave it here for your consideration <3.
Dreamer
An instrumental tune. Great for summer days, especially for hammock lounging and cloud gazing. I hope you can enjoy listening to this one as we enjoy these August days of summer, tasting autumn on the wind.
Love Has Come For Me
An anthem of radical self love. It is a song for looking inside of ourselves and loving and celebrating what we find. This one is for all the forgotten parts, a queer love song I wrote to myself <3.
It Matters
It Matters tells the story of a systemically racist and harmful encounter with police experienced by Indigenous elder Gramma Shingoose. This song and story are shared with her blessing <3. Hear Gramma Shingoose tell her story. We stand with you, Gramma Shingoose!
Mountain Henge
A song for stepping off the earth just a little bit, for giving thanks, and for being humbled by how cool existing is.
No guitar in this one. This one is all string trio, all the time. Mountain Henge is built around a 2-line harmony that can be played on one instrument by playing two strings at once.
Try
Try is a song for wrestling with big questions. For situations that make us want to move mountains. For wanting deeply for more options than we have.
Brave Land
Brave Land is the title track of the new record, and is the first single to be released!
Brave Land speaks to the courage of these landforms that reach out beyond their earthly world, and the spiritual connection that represents. Brave Land is a joyful song that celebrates being alive on the Earth! What an amazing time that can be!
Believer
Believer is about the joy of existing, and those magical moments where things line up and life feels just transcendent. It is a great tune for: dance parties, celebrating the joy of existing, miming a string duel in your kitchen, singing along with the chorus, feeling in awe of stuff, and more, as desired.
