Jul 03 2008
Linda Draper - Keepsake
- Artist: Linda Draper
- Album: Keepsake
- Label: Planting Seeds
- Release: 2007
- Links: Official Site
Linda Draper’s fourth album, 2005’s One Two Three Four, was one of my favorite records of that year. Although previous releases such as 2003’s Patchwork had their moments, One Two Three Four was the true emergence of an insightful songwriter. It was refreshing to hear a female songwriter apply modern grit to vintage folk. To top it all off, the album had charming production from Kramer and was released by a Virginia label (Planting Seeds)! Draper’s long-awaited fifth album (Keepsake), due for release early next month, finds the New York songwriter expanding her craft with a new producer.
Major Matt Mason engineered Keepsake and co-produced with Draper. The sound that Draper & Mason have achieved here is slightly more polished than Linda’s work with Kramer. The lo-fi nature of the Kramer recordings were part of the appeal, but Keepsake is a logical step forward. The arrangements are also noticeably more sophisticated. Rob Woodcock adds upright bass on most of the tracks and you’ll also hear touches of piano, slide guitar, and violin. Mason should be praised for helping to expand Draper’s surroundings while getting the most out of her voice at the same time.
Keepsake opens with Draper at the top of her game on “Shine.” Few reviewers touch on Draper’s lyrics. As evident on “Shine,” her wordplay is playful, observant and it is one of my favorite parts of her music. It helps that the voice delivering the words is hard not to be absorbed by. “Traces Of,” which was showcased as a single in late 2006, appears on Keepsake as well. Its presence is welcome because it might be the best song Draper has ever written. The song centers around a lonely old man and is highlighted by a remarkable chorus and images of “jackpot junkies” living in a fleeting world. I’m sure that I’ve put the song on a pedestal with that description, but it is a perfect track.
There is little that bothers me about Keepsake. I’ve been waiting over a year for it to appear and I’m not disappointed with it on any level. The impassive “Cell Phone” is the only song that is awkward for me. As a whole, the album is even better than One Two Three Four, which is more than I ever could have asked for. Even the Rick Nelson cover (”How Long”) that closes the record feels right at home. When I first heard Linda Draper, I knew I had stumbled upon a talented songwriter on the rise. Keepsake confirms that this underrated talent is about to punch her ticket to widespread acclaim.
(4/23/07)