Het nieuwe dubbelalbum van Layla Zoe – Gemini verschijnt 5 oktober!
If you haven’t experienced Layla Zoe live on stage, you’ve missed something akin to magic, something that drips with deep emotion, raw pain, and power. You’ve missed the rightfully nicknamed “Firegirl”, do what she does best. Layla admits, “The studio is not my comfort zone. I love to feel the energy of the audience, live on stage.” But this new double album Gemini recorded in Bonn, Germany with her longtime guitarist Jan Laacks, might be the exception. It’s the first time Layla has felt truly comfortable in the studio. “I had this need to break away from the record labels this time, and try going it on my own again. I knew I wanted to do this Gemini theme for the album because it had been a dream of mine for years, to show the acoustic and fragile side of my voice and personality, and also showcase the fiery and courageous electric side of my songwriting and vocal ability. My guitarist Jan Laacks and I have worked together for years, he produced the Breaking Free album and I knew he would bring something special to the music on the new album. Also he is a gemini!” It would be surprising if one in the blues scene hadn’t previously heard about Layla Zoe. She’s been on a long and spectacularly successful road to get to here—touring the world and fighting for her music every step of the way.
Her debut album (You Will ) came in 2005 after a songwriting trip to Nashville, Tennessee and four more independently released albums later (Shades of Blue, Hoochie Coochie Woman, the Firegirl, and Live at Errington Hall), it became clear she had not only mastered her vocal craft but also the ability to create her own records. So in 2009, she decided to mix things up—she met and started her long working relationship with German guitarist and producer Henrik Freischlader, on his label Cable Car Records, releasing Sleep Little Girl, The Lily, and Live at Spirit of 66 to critical acclaim—then signed with well-known German blues label Ruf Records owned by Thomas Ruf (Breaking Free and Songs from the Road). Layla has been creating music with the best in the business for over two decades, but after nine of those twenty years working with record labels, Layla found herself coming back to her roots—those of independently released albums. “I am so grateful for everything my labels have done for me over the years, and am very proud of the albums we made together, but it was time for a change. I wanted to do something more organic, take my time in the studio and be completely free to create.”
After twelve albums, two of which are critically acclaimed live albums, and a recent DVD release, the question was where might Layla musically venture next? Turns out, it is the mesmerizing journey found on the album Gemini, in which she delivers in a big way.
Layla digs deep into her heart, soul, and memories—the treasures she unveils on this new album have been worth waiting for, her voice and songwriting like nothing we’ve heard before. When listening to her new independently released double album Gemini, you won’t only hear the change, you’ll feel it deep down in your toes. The simplicity and raw acoustic blues we’ve been waiting for are featured on tracks like Freedom Flowers and I’ll Be Reborn Blues. The very special, The Deeper They Bury Me, is dedicated to one of the “Angola Three” Herman Wallace, who was kept in solitary confinement in Angola Prison for 41 years until he was released in 2013, only to die just days after his release. She takes a step back to her blues roots on disk one, titled “Fragility” Also with touches of her love of folk music also present in the track I Can’t Imagine My Life Without You.Also featured are beautiful trance-like ballads, Mumbai, and Let go.
The first disk may end with the tender innocence of Rainbow Pacmen and Unicorns—in which Layla’s voice is accompanied by ukulele only—but it’s just the beginning. The listener is then thrown into the fire with the opening track, Weakness on disk two. It tells the story of a clearly scorned lover lamenting “Men can’t help it honey, they’re just weak.” It’s a fitting start to the rollercoaster ride of rock and emotions found on the second disk titled “Courage”. It features songs about child sex slavery in Dark World, the old blues meeting the new blues on White Dog, a deep sea dive into the pain of depression on Are You Still Alive Inside and one of Layla’s most beautiful blues ballads to date—inspired by her niece and nephew back in Canada—titled Roses and Lavender.
Layla’s songwriting continues to grow and blossom with a pure honesty that seems to be lacking on so many releases today. Known for her emotionally intense performances on stage juxtaposed with the soft and down-to-earth quality she shows her fans when greeting them after her shows, Layla is two sides of beauty and pain, fragility and courage, innocence and wisdom. A true gemini. You truly don’t want to miss the opportunity to share in another creative masterpiece from this world class talent, with the voice of gold.
Tracks:
CD 1
01. She Didn’t Believe
02. I’ll Be Reborn Blues
03. Turn This Into Gold
04. The Deeper They Bury Me
05. Mumbai
06. The Good Life
07. I Can’t Imagine My Life Without You
08. Freedom Flowers
09. Let Go
10. Rainbow Pacmen and Unicorns
CD 2
01. Weakness
02. Dark World
03. Ghost Train
04. Bitch with the Head of Red
05. Gemini
06. Roses and Lavender
07. White Dog
08. Automatic Gun
09. Are You Still Alive Inside
10. Little Sister
Produced by Jan Laacks
Recorded in 2018 in Bonn, Germany
Record Label: Independent
All songs written by Layla Zoe and Jan Laacks
All lyrics written by Layla Zoe
All music by Jan Laacks
Official website: www.layla.ca
Official facebook: www.facebook.com/laylazoefanpage
Official twitter: www.twitter.com/laylazoe
Official instagram: laylazoefanpage
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