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Moriah Bailey’s ability to capture the complexities of saying goodbye to a loved one is unparalleled. On her latest album, i tried words, the Oklahoma-based harpist and vocalist opens up about the end of her long-term relationship. While this isn’t the first album to ever deal with this subject matter, the way Bailey not only presents the struggle of the decision to leave but also the broader issues of the expectations of femininity and learning to say no, is wholly unique.

Kicking off i tried words is ‘Wishful Thoughts,’ which introduces the themes of the album with staggering beauty. As the title suggests, this opening track portrays the, perhaps futile, fixation on what the relationship could have been. Bailey’s signature melodic harp makes its long-awaited return, alongside Ryan Robinson’s soft percussion, Sarah Reid’s soothing violin arrangements, and Ricky Tutaan’s touching guitar, all of whom feature throughout the album, adding new layers to Bailey’s emotive tracks.

Following this, ‘A Late Spring’ focuses more on the themes of femininity and identity, as Bailey reflects on the sense of value within the relationship: “what am I to you? Woman, mother, lover, or bird? How many tasks must I perform to prove my worth?” Through her pained and powerful vocals, Bailey also touches on the duality and conflicting feelings she was wrestling with, as summed up by the song’s concluding line: “I love your mother, I love your sister, I love you. I love everything about you except the way you treat me.”

‘The Downpour’ is where the album starts to adopt a slightly darker tone. Reid’s arrangement is more eerie than ever, as the cries of the violin elevate the already grim feel of the song to new heights. Over the fragile and doomed tones of her harp, Bailey repeats the line, “I’ll stay until I can’t anymore.”

‘So You Say…’ was the first single Bailey released in 5 years, featuring lush melodies from Bailey and Reid, along with sparkling background instrumentation and Robinson’s rolling percussion. Bailey explains that the track “emerged from a place of speaking and not being heard but also deeply struggling with mental health. The song sounds bright in ways but holds a heaviness.” Following this, ‘The Ocean Life’ begs for repeat listens, as it can be interpreted in multiple ways, alluding to themes of freedom, environmentalism, and capitalist consumption, as Bailey’s instrumentation flows underneath her poetic and cryptic lyrics.

The following two tracks act as two sides of the same coin, recalling both her father’s and her mother’s advice and using it to build up to the final goodbye. Firstly, ‘My Father’s Words’ pulls apart the album’s title, as Bailey struggles with the ineffectiveness of words: “drafting, crafting, planning my words. trying to shape them, so they don’t hurt,” before ending the song with her father’s advice: “snakes are more scared of you than you are of them.” On the other side, ‘My Mother’s Words’ further explores the themes of femininity introduced in the second track, as Bailey repeats her mother’s poignant advice and builds the courage to finally say no. Both songs present Bailey’s signature style of melancholic and dreamy harp, more transportive than ever.

The final song, ‘Not Staying,’ is a personal stand out, wholly capturing the feeling of a triumphant farewell and a hopeful new beginning, as Robinson’s percussion builds up the tension throughout the track. As Bailey explains, “it’s about reaching a point in which words no longer suffice, and all that is left to do is leave. It describes leaving behind and letting go of the idea of what could be.” This song sees some of the most powerful lines of the album, with Bailey refusing to stretch herself to her limits and, ultimately, learning to say no: “I contorted my body and stretched myself thin to form a bridge between now and when.”

While upon a first listen, i tried words appears to adopt a less experimental style than her 2017 album, each subsequent listen reveals more depth and profundity within Bailey’s moving lyricism. Although her words are incredibly poetic and powerful on their own, in much the same way that poetry should be read allowed to fully grasp its intent, it’s the immeasurably emotive way that Bailey delivers her lines that portrays their true meaning. Pained yet almost whispered, her voice is one of the most unique and moving singing styles of the last few years. This, combined with her decision to add new layers from fellow musicians, something not seen in her previous album, comes together to create an incredibly focused and revealing album that sticks in the mind far beyond its 34-minute runtime.

Tracks:
01. Wishful Thoughts
02. A Late Spring
03. The Downpour
04. So You Say...
05. The Ocean Life
06. My Father's Words
07. My Mother's Words
08. Not Staying

Staat er compleet op, 10% pars mee gepost. Met zeer veel dank aan de originele poster. Laat af en toe eens weten wat je van het album vindt. Altijd leuk, de mening van anderen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeqBhorR_hs