Samara Lubelski - Parallel Suns (2007)

Samara Lubelski has been the there at the scene of lots of interesting indie rock and folk, engineering records for the Fiery Furnaces and Ted Leo, playing in the Tower Recordings, the Sonora Pine, and Hall of Fame, having a song covered by the Ladybug Transistor, and playing violin on Thurston Moore's 2007 album. More importantly, she's released four records under her own name, the latest tiny treasure called Parallel Suns. It features Lubelski's beautifully hushed vocals, which are reminiscent at times of English folksingers like Vashti Bunyan and Anne Briggs, and also Naomi Yang of Damon & Naomi, surrounded by a warm blanket of guitars, a wide range of keyboards including organ, Pianet, electric pianos, and synths, and plenty of reverb. Her delicate and peaceful songs are served well by the subtle yet rich arrangements; there is an overall lushness but the instruments don't blur into a mess of sounds. It gives the record a satisfyingly unified tone that has the power to cast a spell of autumnal contentment, to spirit the listener away in a sweet and melancholy haze that doesn't lift until long after the record is over. Credit the production, the songs, and the singer too, but also give the supporting cast its due. The drummers (including Hamish Kilgour of Clean fame) are always understated, the keyboards never showy and the guitars never overpowering. In other words, perfect for a quiet and enchanting record such as this. Parallel Suns is Lubelski's most immediate and memorable record to date, and on the basis of this alone, her name deserves to be on the lips of both freak folk lovers and devotees of intimate pop with a quiet heart alike.