Little Lore – River Stories EP
The title of the latest, and fourth, EP from Little Lore (the name under which London based Indie-Americana singer-songwriter-storyteller Tricia Duffy performs) tells the thematic story of the six tracks housed within.
A concept EP that reflects upon the singer’s relationship with water (from rivers and boats to canals and swimming), the idea for River Stories was inspired by an invitation to become songwriter in residency at the artists’ community on Johnson’s Island, which sits on the Grand Union Canal and the River Brent in West London.
Interestingly, opening track 'The River' was written just prior to the residency, when storms led to flooding on the island that could have scuppered the residency.
A delicate acoustic/ folk ballad augmented by deft guitar remarks from Little Lore’s regular producer & co-arranger Oli Deakin, the lyric poetically describes the "two side of the river" – its still calmness and the power to destroy, "shattered by shrapnel in the storm."
With storms abated and once in residency, the river stories, rather fittingly, flowed from Little Lore...
The light, airy and rhythmic 'Johnson’s Island' (written shortly after the residency), which sports a lovely cello (Sasha Ono) and violin (Francesca Dardani) accompaniment, is an ode and tribute to the creativity of the artists’ community, and Little Lore’s time there ("I was welcomed for a time, those people showed me how to find my own fault lines").
The similarly up-tempo and simply but effectively shaped 'Waterlog' started lyrical life as a song for once strong logs left to float, water-logged, on the rivers and canals; however it soon became a more personal number that plays as a metaphor for feminism.
Fitting then that it also features Little Lore’s strongest, and fully empowered, vocal of the EP ("there’s more to me that meets the eye, treat me kindly, remember I held birds and children high, once upon a time").
The warmly-toned, Americana-folk styled 'I Can Breathe Underwater' is equally empowering.
Taking lyrical inspiration from a two-year-old Tricia Duffy falling into a swimming pool, the song actually speaks to not letting pain, suffering or traumatic events effect you negatively, but instead creating a resilience and strength.
A lovely melody line, gorgeous harmonised chorus and sweet cello & violin outro make this a captivating highlight.
There’s a discernible and clearly intentional ebb and flow to 'Run With The Tide,' a countrified acoustic-electric homage to those who live their lives, or have their homes, on the water ("the ground moves beneath when I’m not afloat, that’s how it is when you sleep on a boat; I wouldn’t live another way, walkin’ with waves").
The slightly different vibe (in this case Celtic folk) of 'Haul Me In The River' is due, in part, to the fact that it was written by aforementioned producer & musician Oli Deakin (aka Lowpines).
That it fits the nature and concept of the EP is not in question, however, especially with its haunting and harmonised A Cappella intro.
As such it makes for the perfect closer to another excellent EP from a gifted singer-songwriter.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Purchase River Stories and previous Little Lore releases at: https://littlelore.bandcamp.com
A concept EP that reflects upon the singer’s relationship with water (from rivers and boats to canals and swimming), the idea for River Stories was inspired by an invitation to become songwriter in residency at the artists’ community on Johnson’s Island, which sits on the Grand Union Canal and the River Brent in West London.
Interestingly, opening track 'The River' was written just prior to the residency, when storms led to flooding on the island that could have scuppered the residency.
A delicate acoustic/ folk ballad augmented by deft guitar remarks from Little Lore’s regular producer & co-arranger Oli Deakin, the lyric poetically describes the "two side of the river" – its still calmness and the power to destroy, "shattered by shrapnel in the storm."
With storms abated and once in residency, the river stories, rather fittingly, flowed from Little Lore...
The light, airy and rhythmic 'Johnson’s Island' (written shortly after the residency), which sports a lovely cello (Sasha Ono) and violin (Francesca Dardani) accompaniment, is an ode and tribute to the creativity of the artists’ community, and Little Lore’s time there ("I was welcomed for a time, those people showed me how to find my own fault lines").
The similarly up-tempo and simply but effectively shaped 'Waterlog' started lyrical life as a song for once strong logs left to float, water-logged, on the rivers and canals; however it soon became a more personal number that plays as a metaphor for feminism.
Fitting then that it also features Little Lore’s strongest, and fully empowered, vocal of the EP ("there’s more to me that meets the eye, treat me kindly, remember I held birds and children high, once upon a time").
The warmly-toned, Americana-folk styled 'I Can Breathe Underwater' is equally empowering.
Taking lyrical inspiration from a two-year-old Tricia Duffy falling into a swimming pool, the song actually speaks to not letting pain, suffering or traumatic events effect you negatively, but instead creating a resilience and strength.
A lovely melody line, gorgeous harmonised chorus and sweet cello & violin outro make this a captivating highlight.
There’s a discernible and clearly intentional ebb and flow to 'Run With The Tide,' a countrified acoustic-electric homage to those who live their lives, or have their homes, on the water ("the ground moves beneath when I’m not afloat, that’s how it is when you sleep on a boat; I wouldn’t live another way, walkin’ with waves").
The slightly different vibe (in this case Celtic folk) of 'Haul Me In The River' is due, in part, to the fact that it was written by aforementioned producer & musician Oli Deakin (aka Lowpines).
That it fits the nature and concept of the EP is not in question, however, especially with its haunting and harmonised A Cappella intro.
As such it makes for the perfect closer to another excellent EP from a gifted singer-songwriter.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Purchase River Stories and previous Little Lore releases at: https://littlelore.bandcamp.com