Description
Produced by Grammy Award - winning Blake Mills, this record features front - woman and songwriter Michelle Zauner. After the bright extroversion of her previous album Jubilee, she delves into the darker, moody world of melancholy, a state often linked to poets on the brink of inspiration. The result is a mature, intricate, and contemplative work, evoking the romantic allure of a gothic novel.
For Melancholy Brunettes comes after a transformative period in Zauner’s life. Her 2x GRAMMY - nominated album Jubilee and bestselling memoir Crying In H Mart catapulted her to the cultural mainstream. Reflecting on this success, Zauner noticed the irony of desire, where bliss and doom often mix. She felt like Icarus, flying too close to the sun. This theme of the perils of desire runs throughout the album. The album's characters go through cycles of temptation, transgression, and retribution.
On “Orlando in Love”, inspired by John Cheever's take on an unfinished Renaissance epic, the hero is a well - meaning poet lured by a siren. “Honey Water” explores the quiet rage of a woman with an unfaithful husband. Sadness is the main emotion, but it's a refined melancholy that recognizes life's tragic beauty while still holding glimmers of hope. Love and labor, the consolations for mortals, are most prominent in the final song “Magic Mountain”.
Tracklisting:
SIDE A: 1. Here is Someone, 2. Orlando in Love, 3. Honey Water, 4. Mega Circuit, 5. Little Girl
SIDE B: 6. Leda, 7. Picture Window, 8. Men in Bars, 9. Winter in LA, 10. Magic Mountain
To enjoy this vinyl LP, first, make sure your record player is clean and in good working condition. Gently place the vinyl on the turntable, center it, and lower the tonearm carefully onto the start of the first track. You can sit back and relax as the music plays. When you're done listening, raise the tonearm and remove the vinyl from the turntable. Store the vinyl in its sleeve to protect it from dust and scratches. Avoid touching the playing surface of the vinyl with your fingers as the oils can damage it. If the vinyl gets dirty, use a record cleaning brush to gently remove any debris. With proper care, this vinyl LP will provide you with many hours of great music.
