Lissie's admitted that My Wild West was an album that sneaked up on her a year ago, after she'd moved from California to her 10-acre farm in Iowa. She hadn't expected this many songs to appear that quickly. Not surprisingly, the album is littered with references to her journey away from Los Angeles to the Midwest, with the opening Hollywood talking about broken hearts and a 'return home to mom'. The closer Ojai, is a more gentle farewell to the state that's been her home for many years as she promises "to see you again some day" explaining that she misses the 'seasons' and she's made up her mind to leave.
Lissie has the ability to sound both hugely vulnerable and totally in control, sometimes within the same song, and the segue between Hollywood and Wild West highlights this perfectly. Hollywood has an edgy, slightly angry tone, while Wild West begins with a gentle unravelling before the confidence returns as lyrically she embraces the move from the "safety in numbers" of LA to Iowa.
While Lissie's journey is an obvious inspiration for much of My Wild West, it seems the change has also influenced her musical style. The album is far less polished and poppy than 2013's Back To Forever or even her debut Catching A Tiger. Here there is more space and room to breathe. This is exemplified on the album's best song, Hero. Partly inspired by the thought experiment Schrodinger's Cat, it has touches of Lana Del Ray (in a good way) as it builds towards a gentle guitar solo and rocky climax.
It's not all about her move into farming though. A documentary about the fight for equality by women in Liberia inspired Daughters, while the tranquil and reflective Sun Keeps Risin' is about the passing away of her aunt. Don't You Give Up On Me is the most poppy track here, and returns us to that Fleetwood Mac sound of her first two albums. Stay is harder edged again, where Lissie moves from vulnerable to angry in a blink of an eye.
My Wild West doesn't sound like a rushed album, but it captures a singer in transition. After the mainstream pop and rock of her opening two albums, Lissie appears keen to leave that Hollywood glitz behind, both metaphorically and physically. The next album, which she says is already underway, will reveal which direction she's heading in.
Lissie has the ability to sound both hugely vulnerable and totally in control, sometimes within the same song, and the segue between Hollywood and Wild West highlights this perfectly. Hollywood has an edgy, slightly angry tone, while Wild West begins with a gentle unravelling before the confidence returns as lyrically she embraces the move from the "safety in numbers" of LA to Iowa.
While Lissie's journey is an obvious inspiration for much of My Wild West, it seems the change has also influenced her musical style. The album is far less polished and poppy than 2013's Back To Forever or even her debut Catching A Tiger. Here there is more space and room to breathe. This is exemplified on the album's best song, Hero. Partly inspired by the thought experiment Schrodinger's Cat, it has touches of Lana Del Ray (in a good way) as it builds towards a gentle guitar solo and rocky climax.
It's not all about her move into farming though. A documentary about the fight for equality by women in Liberia inspired Daughters, while the tranquil and reflective Sun Keeps Risin' is about the passing away of her aunt. Don't You Give Up On Me is the most poppy track here, and returns us to that Fleetwood Mac sound of her first two albums. Stay is harder edged again, where Lissie moves from vulnerable to angry in a blink of an eye.
My Wild West doesn't sound like a rushed album, but it captures a singer in transition. After the mainstream pop and rock of her opening two albums, Lissie appears keen to leave that Hollywood glitz behind, both metaphorically and physically. The next album, which she says is already underway, will reveal which direction she's heading in.
