Lara Taubman’s album ‘Revelation’

On the 10th of July, New York City-based Lara Taubman released her debut album Revelation. It mainly includes folk music influenced by country and rock, urban street music and the hills music of the Appalachian mountains from her childhood.

As she expresses on her Twitter account: “I make folk music with an edge. Music can be a healing force.” That is definitely the recurrent theme of the album: healing from painful situations and embracing them without judgement.

Regarding Lara’s musical influences, most of them are Canadian-born. Names like Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young or Leonard Cohen, “whose work to me is like ever-shifting tectonic plates in my mind”, she says.

Heartbreaks and breakups are bittersweet moments. The album starts with ‘Sound of a Heartbreak’. The lyrics are sad and melancholic but also deeply empowering. She acknowledges that getting your heart smashed into pieces can be really tough but also a cathartic moment if you allow yourself to move on. Violin, piano, guitar and voice are all highly emotionally charged, and they give you strength and support. “It’s not that you didn’t try”, the lyrics remind you.

‘Desert Boy’ is an intimate and romantic ballad. ‘Heartbreak Garden’ embraces the moment and celebrates its bittersweetness. A moment where “sunflowers and storm clouds” come hand in hand, and that is why we need to appreciate both. The drums and the energetic guitar strumming take the song to a whole new level. Actually, Lara talks about guitars on her blog: “Some guitars are born with a soul. They don’t need to be broken in or aged over years. They penetrate you from the first strum.”

Suddenly, there is an unexpected change in style and atmosphere. A powerful bass sequence welcomes us into ‘Hookup’. The piano also joins later, but the bass is definitely the most prominent instrument. “Was it just a hookup? Didn’t you feel my heart?” Lara often incorporates glissando in her singing style, which contributes to the relaxing groove of the song. It all feels natural and spontaneous, straight from her heart.

‘Cold Side of Spring’ is a peaceful song with the notable participation of the violin. On the other hand, in ‘Akureyri’, it’s the turn for the mandolin (beautifully played by Joey Wright) to take over and give a mellow feeling to a song about lost love.

Now it is the turn of the longest song of the album, ‘Snakes In The Snow’. In a little more than six minutes, we are told what could be described as a legend or probably a spell. A nightmare maybe? It begins with a subtle violin on the background. Soon after, Lara begins to sing, almost acapella, as we can barely hear the violin. Then some dissonant harmonies join the dance and a cello and some drums are responsible for redirecting the song towards an oriental and tribal vibe. The character seems to be stuck in a devastating loop. “Land of the dead. And wondered why she couldn’t gain her freedom. (…) Her dreams they died one more year. The price of fear costed her dear.”

The journey ends with the soothing guitar of the theme ‘Revelation’, which also gives name to the album. A song that reminds us that beneath our darkest demons and shadows, we can learn a lesson about self-love.

In Lara’s words: “Music has transformed and healed me throughout my life. In these difficult times we bear, I believe music can be a powerful healer for us all. The connection of storytelling and music’s powerful medicine has changed my life and I hope I can compel you with my own.”