Lookaftering

Slate, October 25, 2005
...offers many of the charms of her debut...still hushed and otherworldly; her voice still airily affecting...

Product Description
It's not often you come across an artist you can genuinely refer to as a "cult legend," but Vashti Bunyan is truly that. A full thirty-five years after her only previous album, the singer returns with a new solo work, her first in all these years, and it is a breathtakingly beautiful album.

Produced by fellow Edinburgh resident Max Richter (who has a wonderful solo album of his own, Blue Notebooks), and co-arranged with Bunyan, it's a rich, beautifully arranged and stirring album. Developing gradually and organically -- with work initially taking place between Richter and Bunyan's homes, and then at various studios in Edinburgh, London and Glasgow -- Lookaftering is anchored around Bunyan's voice and picked acoustic guitar, Richter's piano playing and arranging. Its instrumentation includes a string quartet, oboe, harp, French horn, and recorder, flute, hammer dulcimer, glasses, harmonium, and Rhodes piano, and it features contributions from Joanna Newsom, Devendra Banhart, Adem, Adam Pierce (Mice Parade), Robert Kirby (Nick Drake), Otto Hauser and Kevin Barker (Espers, Currituck County)

As well as a neat balance between gentle, sparse songs and heavier, more orchestrated numbers, there is a beautiful play between the lush instrumental arrangements and the incredibly intimate, in-your-ear presence of Bunyan's voice. There's a real honesty to the album -- from the fragile intimacy of the vocal itself to the stories that it weaves. Just as JADD was a very pure document of a journey, Lookaftering is similarly based on stories taken directly from lived experience (the death of a brother; the joys and fears of motherhood; the tension between freedom and commitment; and travel versus domesticity). There's also a great integrity forged from the cohesiveness between lyrical content and musical form (the gentle rolling and pitching of the melodies on "Same But Different"; the vocal roundelay on "Here Before"; the ice-shiver of dulcimer on "Turning Backs"). The album title itself, a personal neologism that describes the role of "taking care of someone -- human or animal -- or even something that needs to be done, that needs lookaftering."

Lookaftering

Lookaftering,Vashti Bunyan,Dicristina Stair,British Folk,Contemporary Singer/Songwriter,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop,Singer/Songwriter

Lookaftering

Average customer rating:

one of the greatest albums ever
Not bad
perfect
Worth the Wait !
Still great after all these years

Lookaftering
Vashti Bunyan
Manufacturer: Dicristina Stair
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Just Another Diamond Day
It's So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best
Feels
In My Own Time
Ys

ASIN: B000B5S826
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Tracks:

Lately
Here Before
Wayward
Hidden
Against the Sky
Turning Backs
If I Were
Same But Different
Brother
Feet of Clay
Wayward Hum

Album Description

It's not often you come across an artist you can genuinely refer to as a "cult legend," but Vashti Bunyan is truly that. A full thirty-five years after her only previous album, the singer returns with a new solo work, her first in all these years, and it is a breathtakingly beautiful album.

Produced by fellow Edinburgh resident Max Richter (who has a wonderful solo album of his own, Blue Notebooks), and co-arranged with Bunyan, it's a rich, beautifully arranged and stirring album. Developing gradually and organically -- with work initially taking place between Richter and Bunyan's homes, and then at various studios in Edinburgh, London and Glasgow -- Lookaftering is anchored around Bunyan's voice and picked acoustic guitar, Richter's piano playing and arranging. Its instrumentation includes a string quartet, oboe, harp, French horn, and recorder, flute, hammer dulcimer, glasses, harmonium, and Rhodes piano, and it features contributions from Joanna Newsom, Devendra Banhart, Adem, Adam Pierce (Mice Parade), Robert Kirby (Nick Drake), Otto Hauser and Kevin Barker (Espers, Currituck County)

As well as a neat balance between gentle, sparse songs and heavier, more orchestrated numbers, there is a beautiful play between the lush instrumental arrangements and the incredibly intimate, in-your-ear presence of Bunyan's voice. There's a real honesty to the album -- from the fragile intimacy of the vocal itself to the stories that it weaves. Just as JADD was a very pure document of a journey, Lookaftering is similarly based on stories taken directly from lived experience (the death of a brother; the joys and fears of motherhood; the tension between freedom and commitment; and travel versus domesticity). There's also a great integrity forged from the cohesiveness between lyrical content and musical form (the gentle rolling and pitching of the melodies on "Same But Different"; the vocal roundelay on "Here Before"; the ice-shiver of dulcimer on "Turning Backs"). The album title itself, a personal neologism that describes the role of "taking care of someone -- human or animal -- or even something that needs to be done, that needs lookaftering."

Customer Reviews:

one of the greatest albums ever.......2006-06-11

Yes, that is an extreme statement - but IT'S TRUE. This collection of songs is almost flawless, and with each listen the different layers unravel and the true perfection is even more realized. If you liked Bunyan's first album you will love this one even more, it is so refreshing to find an artist like Vashti whose style hasn't changed with the degeneration of mainstream music, and who intelligently aligns herself with the great neo-folksters like Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom, and Animal Collective.

Vashti does not want to be mainstream, she just wants to be recognized by someone. This is her second coming, and it is incredible.

Highlights for me are the second track "Here Before" and the seventh, "If I were."

CHECK IT OUT!!!

Not bad.......2006-02-09

Hello. I put off getting this album for a little while, thinking that it would sound like a new James Taytlor album or something...I hate when that happens. Or like the new Neil Young album. Prarie Wind. Man, that album is the worst hting ever. But...Vashti killed it. This is just a breath of something sweet. Vashti, good for you. 35 years later and killing it again...buy it.

perfect.......2005-11-20

wow... this one exceeded my very high expectations... incredibly beautiful, delicate, elegant songs perfectly arranged and produced (by the amazing Max Richter) with minimal but gorgeous mostly-acoustic accompaniment. I think Vashti even tops her once-forgotten, now classic Just Another Diamond Day here. Only 35 minutes or so, but not a single note is wasted filler here.

Worth the Wait !.......2005-11-16

As you may have noticed, no one has given this release less than 5 stars. I could go on for pages giving the reasons for this but instead I'll just reccomend listening to the audio samples.In a year full of of great new albums, "Lookaftering" shines w/ indescribable beauty. This album may go down in history as being as beloved as "J.A.D.D.".Let's all keep our fingers crossed that it's not another 35 years before Vashti's next.

Still great after all these years.......2005-11-09

Vashti Bunyan is a cult hero. Her first album came out in 1969. Andrew Loog Oldham burned her. His narcissism was mediocre. The Rolling Stones used people back then. Vashti could be bitter but is not. She has created another beautiful album in spite of it. She now lives in Edinburgh. Her first album "Just Another Diamond Day" was recorded by Joe Boyd (and featured members of The Incredible String Band and Fairport Convention). Instead of promoting the album, she became a recluse and disappeared for thirty years. Over the years, admirers emerged citing her influence. These people included The Cocteau Twins' Simon Raymonde, Devendra Banhart, and Animal Collective. This new album is amazing. Just the song "Turning Backs" is alone worthy of getting this. In all of Vashti's music there is a medieval folk vibe that is not so forced. Maybe a little what Dead Can Dance later explored. The arrangements are amazing too. Its instrumentation includes a string quartet, oboe, harp, French horn, recorder, flute, hammer dulcimer, glasses, harmonium, and Rhodes piano. This is not obscure folk music. I am now wondering what Devendra Banhart was so inspired by. His early music might have a hint of influence, but the later stuff is more like rock music. Whereas Vashti's music is very pure. It's been 35 years and the music is of the same cloth. This album features Joanna Newsom, Devendra Banhart, Adam Pierce (Mice Parade), Robert Kirby (Nick Drake), Otto Hauser and Kevin Barker (Espers). There is a balance of intimate pieces and heavily worked out songs. This album is all about taking care and remembering lost ones. This is art. Nothing is sentimental. Vashti Bunyan is a mature artist showing us shades of light and dark.