Anais Mitchell - Xoa (2014)

Following the enormous critical success of 2010's Hadestown, 2012's Young Man in America and 2013's Child Ballads, Anais Mitchell goes back to basics with xoa. The album is a fifteen track solo collection, including re-recorded songs up to ten years old; several from Hadestown (recorded in Mitchell's own voice for the first time); and some completely new and previously unrecorded songs. They were taped during two sessions in Nashville with engineer/producer Gary Paczosa (who also produced Child Ballads). Why xoa? It's Mitchell's customary sign-off at the end of a correspondence - hugs, kisses, Anaïs - and she sees the project as just that: a correspondence between herself and her audience, especially those familiar with her songs from way back. 'I chose the songs in response to requests from people over the years. It felt like the right time. Last summer I had a baby, and I wasn't sure when I'd be able to get back in the studio, so when the chance came up to work with Gary [Paczosa] on something again, I jumped on it... xoa is what came out of those sessions. If the title were longer, it would be dear audience, thank you for everything'.