Beth Bombara • Evergreen
 hile we’re all celebrating the
great vinyl resurgence, it’s worth noting that not everyone creating music these days
knows how to put together a proper album. I suspect that most TAB readers have
their own stacks of dust-collecting new releases that are plagued by lackluster sonics,
horrendous surface noise or too much filler and not enough killer. It's that track record
(pardon the pun) that makes St. Louis-based singer/songwriter/guitarist Beth Bombara
someone you should know about.
Within minutes of dropping the needle on Evergreen, Bombara’s latest album on her own Lemp Electric label, you’ll know that this is an artist who cares about sound quality. From the palpable presence of Bombara’s smoke-and-honey alto to the warm tones and punchy dynamics of her air-tight backup band, Evergreen stands up quite well next to some of the best releases of the 1970s Laurel Canyon music scene. Unlike some new releases that are merely slapped together around a couple of download-worthy standout cuts, Bombara and co-producers Kit Hamon and John Calvin Abney, have meticulously arranged these well-crafted songs into a cohesive whole. From the addictive Austin twang of the opening track, "I Only Cry When I'm Alone," right through to the sparse, Tom Waits-style broken piano sound of the elegiac closing number, "All Good Things," Evergreen serves up visceral slices of loneliness, heartache and true love better than any record I’ve heard this year. On standout cuts like "Tenderhearted Lover" and "Growing Wings," lead guitarist Samuel Gregg weaves simmering and shimmering guitar figures throughout the lyrical landscape that call to mind Americana session greats Gurf Morlix and Greg Leisz. What’s most surprising about Evergreen, given the outstanding quality on offer, is that it was recorded, mastered and pressed for a budget of less than $25,000 that Bombara raised herself through a fan-driven Kickstarter campaign. Bombara, who has five previous releases under her belt, told me in a recent interview that she’s learned through several missteps that creating high-quality vinyl requires particular recording and mastering techniques that differ from those used for CDs and digital downloads. So she hired Dan Mehrmann of Jettison Studios because of his love of vintage analog gear and exemplary mastering of her well-reviewed 2016 Map No Direction LP. Mixing engineer Jason Cupp gives each instrument its own space in the sweeping, cinematic soundscape. Bombara also described a lengthy pre-production process of selecting just the right microphone for her voice. The result is an intimate recording that captures not only Bombara’s breaths but also the subtle tonal shifts of her deeply resonant voice. Even the most carefully recorded albums can be ruined if
something goes wrong in the final pressing and manufacturing stages. As a vinyl collector
herself, Bombara was passionate about releasing a product she could be proud of. After
considerable research, she settled on Pirates Press out of Emeryville, California, because
she was impressed with the company’s indie spirit and quality-control standards. The
decision paid off. My yellow-vinyl copy is dead quiet, ruler flat and has the dynamic
range and holographic depth that are the hallmarks of reference-grade vinyl. With Evergreen,
Beth Bombara has managed something worth championing -- a DIY album that demands repeated
play and pride of place next to any self-respecting vinyl lover’s turntable. |
