{"id":24865,"date":"2020-07-25T17:13:52","date_gmt":"2020-07-25T21:13:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/panm360.com\/records\/old-flowers\/"},"modified":"2020-07-27T12:19:18","modified_gmt":"2020-07-27T16:19:18","slug":"old-flowers-courtney-marie-andrews","status":"publish","type":"records","link":"https:\/\/panm360.com\/en\/records\/old-flowers-courtney-marie-andrews\/","title":{"rendered":"Old Flowers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s been spinning for a few billion years already, this old rock, while loves are made and unmade. Lucky for the musicians because, to put it bluntly, the absence of break-ups would deprive many creators of their cash cow. Fortunate for fans too, because break-up albums abound and are often very successful. Consider Louis-Jean Cormier and Les grandes art\u00e8res<\/em>, Dominique A and Remu\u00e9<\/em>, Bj\u00f6rk and Vulnicura<\/em>, or The Chicks and Gaslighter,<\/em> recently reviewed here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now it\u2019s the turn of Courtney Marie Andrews, just shy of 30, to engrave her name on the great oak tree of broken hearts. Arizona-born, now installed in Nashville, Ms. Andrews was a side musician to the emo princes Jimmy Eat World and the extremely prolific Damien Jurado, before successfully getting her own thing going. Barely a decade later, Courtney Marie has already built up an impressive body of work that includes the remarkable May Your Kindness Remain<\/em>, released in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sobriety and delicacy reign over Old Flowers<\/em>. Courtney Marie Andrews accompanies herself on guitar and piano, in a reduced formation with James Krivchenia and Matthew Davidson, respectively the drummer in Big Thief and the multi-instrumentalist calling himself Twain. Listening to Old Flowers<\/em> is like watching Bertrand Tavernier’s A Sunday in the Country<\/em>; everything\u2019s quiet, nothing seems to move, but stuff happens. \u201cBut deep down you know \/ that no one can replace you,\u201d she sings on \u201cBurlap String\u201d, which opens the album. Lucid, incisive, disenchanted, and hopefully liberating words for the young creator. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A rhythmic irruption occurs in the middle of the album, on the title track. Calm returns with \u201cBreak the Spell\u201d, then \u201cIt Must Be Someone Else’s Fault\u201d marks a last jolt in tempo. Then, we move gently to \u201cShips in the Night\u201d, a compassionate conclusion where Andrews sings, \u201cI hope you drink less \/ that you laugh and you love\u201d. Andrews draws her inspiration from Mother Mitchell, as do hundreds of other folkies. She is a worthy heiress, and there aren\u2019t that many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n