Taking a break from art and my multi-post coverage of the Texas Contemporary Art Fair, wanted to share my current soundtrack, Rachael Yamagata’s “Chesapeake.”
I found Rachael about two years ago when iTunes recommended her album “Elephants … Teeth Sinking Into Heart.” This album is actually a “two in one” and includes a rock and concept section. I love it but I have to say that if you’re looking for music to pep you up, this is not it. Please save listening until you need a cathartic break. Melancholic breakdown notwithstanding, Rachael’s dynamic and fierce voice coupled with her emotional and nuanced lyrics and arrangements make her a force to be reckoned with.
When “Chesapeake” came out, I was thrilled to find that she had left a little of her Emily Bronte at home and brought her thoughtful, forlorn sensibility into an album that is equal parts defeated and optimistic.
She is playing at Fitzgerald’s Upstairs on December 3rd. Who wants to come with me to see her?
You can buy “Chesapeake” and “Elephants” on iTunes.
Here are clips from the new album.
No video yet, but here’s my favorite song off the album:
Miles on a Car
Jeanette Joy Harris 
One response to “Forlorn but not weeping: Rachael Yamagata’s Chesapeake”
Yes! Rachael is awesome. I have a track of hers live from SXSW that I dig on a regular basis.
If you like her, go to Spotify and give a listen to Ingrid Michaelson (check out Men of Snow for lyrical content that should come with a lot more grey hair), Meiko, Frou Frou, and A Fine Frenzy too!