One of the most surprising elements of my slow return to folk music throughout this decade has been my renewed appreciation of lyricism. I’ve written before about how my relationship with Contemporary Christian Music, an entire genre – regardless of style – exclusively focused on the words. When I left CCM behind in my mid 20s, I placed less attention to what songs said and more attention to how they made me feel, especially the technical aspects of the music. But as I age, my musical interests have come back into balance. If I enjoy your art, I should pay equal attention to the notes and the letters.
Which puts me in a wonderful place to discuss the work of Alela Diane.
I’ve reviewed the music of this incredible songwriter before. She possesses a rich, mellifluous alto, complete with a gentle lilt that lightly cracks on high notes. Her style bridges Laurel Canyon folk and alt-country with remarkable grace. The songs burst with warmth and longing, calling to mind Emmylou Harris, Stevie Nicks, Amy Grant, and Rita Coolidge.
Throughout the eleven songs of Who’s Keeping Time?, she leads with crafty plucking on an acoustic guitar. A dual release for Fluff & Gravy and Loose Music, the arrangements pulse with chamber-folk orchestration, but she first dumps out any twee affectations before then adding dusky dancehall details. We’re talking strings, woodwinds, and tympani in conversation with an organ, light drumming, and delicate bass lines. It is a magnificent listening experience.
But then you start paying attention to the words.
Diane comes right from the lyrical school of Kris Kristofferson and The Chicks. She’s a lyrically deft storyteller – crisp yet sparse – with a keen emphasis on visuals. Her descriptions overflow with details and specifics, even though she renders them with an impressionistic naturalism. Instead of going over the top with wordplay, it’s as if she pats the ground beside her, asking you to sit down beside her to rest and reflect for a spell.
“California” opens the album with a prayer for a road trip: “Winding River / Headlights blinding / In the blackness / Before dawn / I summon angels / On the backroads.” On “Galloping,” she shares the fractured thoughts of a troubled, sleepless night: “Words in bed / Up all night / Bones clank together / Like a puppet fight / Twitching cat / Bloody moon.” With “Dusty Roses,” we get a woebegone tune about a forlorn woman: “Night after broken night / She stumbled down that gravel road / Black bird flies / Ocean eyes / Ravaged body / Buried like a key.” Closing the record, “Endless Waltz” is a paean to a lifetime love: “Moon rise, tide fall / Dog howls, crows caw / Kitchen dancing / While we have air.”
Who’s Keeping Time? resounds like a blend of literary fiction and a good Western.
Mixing the vibes of the American West and Southwest, Alela Diane puts you right in the middle of the story – but you can only watch, not participate. Much like the short stories of Pam Houston, Annie Proulx, and Lucia Berlin, her songs feature strong characters, curious choices, and everyday situations. You hope against hope for a happy ending, but you know that’s not in the cards for everyone. Like the most honest storytellers throughout history, she asks you to feel and experience, but you can never judge.
I’m just glad that I’m listening to the lyrics again.