Diane Birch released her debut album three years ago. I stumbled upon "Fools" and "Rewind", songs from that album, on Pandora and I couldn't believe I hadn't heard them before. The album, Bible Belt, is every bit as nostalgic and thematic as the title implies. According to history, the bible belt refers to a conservative, Protestant region of the Southeastern United States. In Diane Birch's reality, the title refers to the social constraints and musical influences of a globe trotting life as the daughter of missionaries.
After learning piano as an early age with the Suzuki method of playing by ear, Birch learned from church music and gospel classics, lending a neo soul vibe and strong, slingshot vocals to her debut album. With an exquisitely controlled yet powerful voice reminiscent of Laura Nyro and songwriting to rival Carole King, the album sounds familiar yet just innovative enough that I was left wondering how her sound would evolve on the next album.
True artists always seem to find a way to evolve between albums. The evolution must be subtle enough to represent genuine growth, yet there should be a distinct change in the atmosphere. The season of the music must change, if that makes any sense. For example, Van Morrison's Avalon Sunset is an autumn album. I can hear the leaves and see oranges and reds before my eyes. Springsteen's Born to Run is a summer album because it deals with hope and driving with the windows down on long stretches of road.
dianebirch.com
Diane Birch's second full length album has definitely seen an atmospheric shift. Everything I've heard from the album so far has exceeded my expectations. The new album is slightly more pop oriented with more studio shenanigans, but that's okay because the synthesizers and digital implements all complement the core melody, the holy grail of song. Five or six songs have already appeared online, but my favorites so far are "Speak a Little Louder" and "Pretty in Pain". The songs are riskier, more aggressive, and shrouded in a thin veil of darkness, like the passing of time itself.
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