Whoever saw Alela Diane sing knows it: there’s something magical, almost mystical, about that girl. Her ethereal voice is a gift from heaven, and her bittersweet, luminous lyrics can touch anyone’s soul. When Alela sings, you have no choice but to listen.
You’re an angry metalhead, with skull tattoos on your face? If Alela sings, you’ll listen. Are you a dancehall fan, proud of your new neon bodysuit? If Alela sings, you’ll listen. That’s how, we, Sound Eaters, crazy rock junkies legends, ended up in a small local venue, sobbing while listening to Mrs Diane’s enchanted folk songs. That’s how we discover her gorgeous last album Cusp.
Who’s the luminescent Alela Diane?
Alela Diane is an old, beautiful soul. Raised in a family of musicians, she learned guitar on her own and made her first album when she was 20 years old, thinking no one would listen. That album, Pirate’s gospel, is now a monument in folk music. Alela’s voice is haunting. Listening to her songs is almost like hearing the whispers of an old beloved friend, who passed away a long time ago. Her songwriting is poignant, luminous, and insanely beautiful.
What about Cusp?
Alela Diane is all about emotions, and she speaks about them perfectly. In her last album, Cusp, she chose to talk about motherhood, knowing too well people would try to make her feel bad about it. She did it anyway, with powerful grace, exorcising what she endured a few months ago when she almost died during childbirth.
The result is her best work to date, a luminous album, an out-of-time experience, gracefully hanging between the pains and pleasures of being a mom. Our song crushes: Ether & Wood, Emigré, and the amazing Song for Sandy. We fell in love with this album, which you must listen to in autumn, with a nice cup of warm Darjeeling tea and an enormous slice of our Alela-inspired carrot cake.
