I've been meaning to post about Mirel Wagner for a while now but what better time for a introduction to the Finnish (via Ethiopia) singer-songwriter than on a tired Sunday Afternoon, Wagner released her self-titled debut last year (March in UK/US) but somehow managed to completely miss my ears, an overdue meeting was very welcome...
With minimal backing throughout, being mostly her own playing of an acoustic guitar intricately plucked the album sees Mirel relive tortured tales of loss and misery with her haunting, world-weary voice and graveyard lyrics. Best of all is the incredible "No Death", the sort of dark tale that given its release in a another time would have made it a sure fire candidate to end up on Johnny Cash's 'American Recordings', for its melancholic revelations of death and woe are emotive, stark and deeply moving.
There are no glad tidings, "The Road" weaves its moody spell with downbeat guitar and Mirel's ghostly whispers singing of death while the frailty of "To The Bone", a dusty, bleak and cold tale brings shivers to your spine, bare boned it may be, but it's also some of the most powerful and intense music to pass through my ears in recent times. Breathtaking.
You can order the CD now. Listen:
Mirel Wagner - No Death from Friendly Fire Recordings on Vimeo.
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