Sound track: Field Guide by Sarah Louise

One of the wonderful (and sometimes confusing) things about instrumental music is how open to interpretation it can be. While lyrics and instrumentation go hand in hand, the introduction of words does effectively contextualize a song. Of course there are other markers — rhythm, key, the instruments being played — that set a mood, but these are more subtle than the storyline of a lyric.

Field Guide, a new collection by local musician Sarah Louise and available on Scissor Tail Edition on Feb. 28, juxtaposes spirited instrumental compositions with pensive vocal tracks — the chilling, droney “Home Over Yonder (Variations Pt. 1)” an apt example of the latter. That song floats like a storm cloud, a cold haunting in dark mountains. The lighter, percussively strummed instrumental “Dog Improv” captures the shuddery joy of a canine companion. It nods to green fields, bright daylight, water droplets flung from fur, the happy yips somehow implied by fingers squeaking on strings — and a field-recorded background bark.

While Louise offers visual cues with her song titles (for those who experience the synesthesia of mental movies accompanying the listing experience), they’re less like clues and more like fragments of a multimedia collage. The poetic suggestion of “Late Summer Seed Collection,” a capricious track of staccato plucks and rolling melodies, dovetails with the idea of a Field Guide. And how could the score to that sepia concept be anything other than this collection of earthy rhythms, breezy soundscapes, shadowy stands of trees and open fields?

sarah louiseOpener “Passage” sets the scene with its bittersweet finger style guitar work. Parts dusky melancholy and dizzying expanse, it transports the listener to some airy vista. The track is as masterful as it is simple, as crisply modern as it is timeless. “The Day is Past and Gone (Variations) bookends the album. That final offering feels like a closing. A nocturne, despite its climbing scales, it’s underscored by buzzing low notes from which sharp hits of minor chords leap and sparkle like so many shooting stars across a moonless sky.

Sarah Louise performs at a Triple Tape Release Show at Harvest Records on Friday, Feb. 20. Shane Parish and Wes Tirey also release new projects (Odei and Gnostic Hymns of the Blue Ridge Mountains Vol. 1, respectively), and the lineup includes Hospital Call, the solo project of Amanda Haswell. 9 p.m., $5 suggested donation.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Alli Marshall
Alli Marshall has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. She is the winner of the 2016 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize and the author of the novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," published by Logosophia Books. Follow me @alli_marshall

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.