Over the past decade or so, Lissie has made a name for herself as one of the hottest talents on the alternative scene, with her unique blend of rock, folk, country and pop. Carving Canyons is her latest studio album, following on from 2018 hit Castles and the re-release of previous material last year.
By Graeme Smith
Feature photo by Lili Peper
Just when I feel there isn’t anything new to say about Lissie, she releases an album like Carving Canyons. From the gently acoustic Unravel to the pensive, piano-led Midnight this is a deeply personal album. Lyrically, Lissie has delved deep and pulled out something that is strongly emotive, brought to life through rich storytelling detail.
Heartbreak is high on the menu in this album. Its feature track Flowers is a breakup song. The grief is compared to Lissie’s time gardening on her parents farm, and tempered by the lightness of the acoustic guitar riff and a soaring, cathartic chorus.
The album’s other singles Sad and Night Moves show two other sides to its story. Sad seethes with an undercurrent of anger, matched with a certain resignation. It’s a bluesy number, and comes complete with echoing guitars that invoke the openness of the Lissie’s native American Midwest. Night Moves by contrast is upbeat, perhaps the poppiest moment of the album, with a wandering bassline and a steady groove.
Throughout it all, Lissie pushes her personal musical boundaries, whether it be through the funkiness of Chasing The Sun, the dreamy rock of Lonesome Wines, the wistful nostalgia of I Hate This, the pacey passion of Hearts On Fire, the empowerment of Yellow Roses, or the bombast of title track Carving Canyons. Set at the heart of the album, it’s a spiritual and philosophical moment of triumph.
An established artist such as Lissie always has to pull off a delicate balancing act when releasing a new album. They need to bring something new without alienating the fans that have been with them from the beginning. This is exactly what she achieves with Carving Canyons. It’s a must-listen for fans, old and new.
Carving Canyons is out Friday 16 September 2022
