Megan Palmer: Take You Away

I think this is the first time Muruch has been specifically given an "exclusive". Last year I fell in love with Megan Palmer's debut album Forget Me Not, and I'm happy to announce that Megan will release her sophomore effort Take You Away on November 13th. Palmer's new disc is a slight departure from the full bodied instrumentation and jaunty genre hopping style of her debut. Take You Away preserves the quaint charm of Megan's previous release, but this time delves into a more somber and organic singer-songwriter sound. Even the album's packaging was done in a homespun manner, with hand silk-screened cover art and typewritten liner notes. Eric Metronome and Victoria Williams are among the supporting musicians.



I can't help but like an album that begins with the lyric "I spent the summer making love to a dead man." "Dead Man" has a gentle strum accented with sweet strings. "Davey" follows suit, punctuating Megan's low-key vocals with rhythmic percussion. The title track begins with a more typical acoustic sound before building into a pretty melody that can only be described as pop-grass. "Indiana" mixes a fiercer acoustic thrum with a rising string arrangement.

The stand out tracks are Megan's plucky, haromica-speckled cover of Mississippi John Hurt's "Richland Woman" and her original broody piano ballad "Don't You Worry". The album closes with a lovely rendition of the Townes Van Zandt tune "Don't Take It Too Bad".

The first 200 copies of Take You Away will include a seven-track bonus disc - the highlight of which is the lively twang of "Desperate Housewives".

Megan Palmer - Richland Woman (mp3)
Megan Palmer -Deadman (mp3)
Megan Palmer - Take You Away (mp3)

The album will be available for purchase next week at the links below.

Megan Palmer Official Site
Sunken Treasure Records Store

Megan Palmer: Forget Me Not

Megan Palmer's debut album, Forget Me Not, came into my possession serendipitously, tucked into a package from the Sunken Treasure label. I like the album so much, I'm trying to lure Megan to Mountain Stage.



Megan Palmer began her musical career as a violinist, accompanying artists like Sarah Harmer and opening for Lucinda Williams. Forget Me Not was released last month, and is her debut solo effort.

The album is centered on Megan's pretty singing voice and eclectic musical style, though her violin playing is in there as well. Many artists like to claim that they cross genres, Megan actually does it. In fact, I think her label does her a disservice by comparing her to Sarah McLachlan and Norah Jones. Though my descriptions of her music are probably inadequate, too. Megan's music is far more interesting than any artist that she could be compared to.

"Angelo" and "Mirror" start the album out in a subtle way. Both are unique in their musical arrangements and the pristine quality of Megan's vocals, but misleading in their seemingly innocent singer-songwriter mood.

"Portland" is the stand out track on the album. It's upbeat, quirky, and lovely with elements of jazz, indie, and bluegrass. I imagine that if Madeleine Peyroux, Mirah, and Leon Redbone were to collaborate on a song, it might sound like this.

"What Comes Around" begins to take the album in a bluesy direction, but "Tomorrow's" steers the mood back into an eerie, bluegrass vein. It's another highlight, hinting at everyone from Neko Case to Charlie Daniels without tarnishing Megan's original style.

Next is the laid back, countryesque ditty, "Please Come Back". "Forget Me Not", "Diamond Mind" and "I'll Be Home" revisit the singer-songstress sound of the opening tracks. "Lemonade" is an eccentric and cute lil piano tune. And the swaggering, seductive ode to "Absinthe" calls to mind Jolie Holland's old fashioned jazz mimicry.

"Every Day" ends the album with a mellow melody that emphasis the ethereal quality of Megan's voice.

Forget Me Not will definitely be in my top albums list this year.

Megan Palmer - Tomorrow's (mp3)
Megan Palmer - Angelo (mp3)
Megan Palmer - Mirror (mp3)

Several other mp3s and a full concert are available for download here.

Megan Palmer Official Site
Megan on Myspace

Buy the album