Erin Bode’s latest album, Photograph, is a treasure that holds appeal for a wide-ranging audience. The album is her group’s third installment following their celebrated run with the MAXJAZZ label. Bode’s third album, The Little Garden, was released by Native Language in 2008, and Photograph follows suit as perhaps an even more impressive installment. Like The Little Garden, the material is all original, however, there is a more serious and melancholy nature to Photograph, and a complexity that allows for new discoveries upon multiple listens. In Bode’s words, the album is “less about love and more about life and relationships.”
For starters, the album is much more multifaceted in terms of genre, instrumentation and arrangement. Bode is admittedly a Paul Simon fan, which is unmistakable when listening to November and Photograph, two songs that highlight the intimate quality of Bode’s vocals with light accompaniment. Three titles, Heart of Mine, Beating on the Door, and Stephanie Moore, contain minimalist elements with a mesmerizing fluidity. They are reminiscent of 80’s hits from artists like Cyndi Lauper, Phil Collins, and U2. Of particular note is Adam Maness’ use of the DX7, which shapes the textures surrounding these luscious tracks.
Several compositions are experimental, marking new directions that the group is exploring, all of which contain pleasant surprises. One such song is The Letter, which alternates between 6/8 and 5/8 time, and the use of marimba and glockenspiel play an integral part in both the texture and mood of the piece. Joseph is a song with Biblical implications that is heavily orchestrated with a strong backbeat. The song contains banjo, accordion, and even uses a 750-piece puzzle as a percussion element. The lyrics of Telescope are beautifully written poetry, which highlights the dreamer in Bode. Telescope also has some of the most sophisticated harmonic progressions on the album, with Bode weaving her voice through the proverbial fabric like a needle and thread. Two songs, The Mountain and To Lose, showcase Bode’s virtuosic whistling abilities. The Mountain, in particular, rekindles the majestic whistle tone of Alessandro Alessandroni.
The album contains a track by the same title, Photograph, but it also refers to Bode’s creative process during the development stages, “We like sharing stories that use imagery. This leaves it open to interpretation and allows people to connect to the material.” When discussing the song November, Bode creates a scene in her mind, “What would a tree feel like in November?” Recording the album in a cabin on the boundary waters of northern Minnesota no doubt provided the group with images for their imaginings.
It is no surprise that Erin Bode continues to produce excellent material. What is remarkable is the ease at which Bode morphs from genre to genre, all while retaining her sweet lyrical sound. Photograph marks a fruitful maturation of Bode’s artistic voice that listeners will want to capture.
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