No new songs this week, but here’s a Flashback for your listening pleasure. Free-spirited Noe Venable has an alluring sound and an idiosyncratic career to date. It’s been a while since we’ve heard from her, but this song remains available on her web site, from way back in 2003.
“Boots” – Noe Venable
[from June 13, 2005]
Atmospheric and structurally engaging, “Boots” unfolds with precision and intrigue, anchored by Venable’s able and appealing voice. While an acoustic guitar provides a centering pulse, this song moves well beyond standard singer/songwriter fare, brandishing a varied instrumental palette with great subtlety and skill, while some of the melodic turns give me goosebumps. Venable is a Bay Area musician with a loyal local following; she plays in a trio featuring keyboards, violin, and various electronic devices. “Boots” is the title track to her most recent CD, released in 2003 on Venable’s Petridish Records. The MP3 can be found on her site; thanks to 3hive for the tip.
ADDENDUM: “Boots” was already a couple of years old when featured here, and Venable has released only two albums since then, the last one coming in 2007. That was the year she entered the Harvard Divinity School for a graduate degree. She wrote a play there for her final project. She has since reformed her trio and has played some isolated concerts. A new album is apparently in the works.
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