LoraDale • Pulling Together the PIECES

I’ve often said there are a few levels of bravery that pertain to singing.  The first is being brave enough to open your mouth, push sufficient air and find your true singing voice.   The second level of bravery is when you get up the gumption to sing in front of other people.  Anxiety affects performers of every level of experience and it’s an emotion to be conquered again and again. The third level of bravery, now that you are playing live, is to sing a song you wrote.  It’s far more personal than a cover tune when they are your words.

As I have listened to LoraDale’s fantastic new album, Pieces, I am thinking there may be a fourth level, a nuance of the third: to be brave enough to sing about your own insecurities, possibly your failings or weaknesses.  

It’s one thing to sing about “girl meets boy, la la la” and another to sing about “girl meets boy, and she freaks out when she realizes he likes her and she is praying that doesn’t change as she spills the beans about everything.”

Part of what makes Pieces so accessible is this basic approach to songsmith.  This is an adult album in terms of its tone, themes and lyrical content.  LoraDale laughed but immediately accepted my moniker of “Mom Rock” for the genre she mines.  She is one of several extremely fine purveyors of original songs in this area that doubles as a perfectly regular person  for the 20 – 23 hours a day they aren’t behind a mic.

Take for instance the opening track “Leave The Light On.”  As described by LorDale, “As a mom of an adult child, the hardest part for me is holding back from forcing my “answers” on to her. Letting go is so hard.”

“I just sat down and wrote this one night to give her an eternal reminder that my husband (Scott Aldrich) and I will ALWAYS be here for her no matter what. She can always find her way home, and even if we don’t always have the answers or agree, she will know she is loved.”

“Twenty,” self-described as a “loaded track” mines the thoughts of a mother of daughter that she had at 18 turning 20.  It’s a great treatment of the topic.

The album benefits from the production assistance of Andy Reed at Reed Recording Company. While he records many genres, artists and bands, it is arguable that he does his best work on lush, ethereal arrangements in support of female singer / songwriters.

This is not to say that LoraDale or her music is a studio creation, by any means.  This can be evidenced by the live video shot at Herter Music Center in Bay City of the single “Pieces.”  It’s simply her on acoustic guitar, singing the song.  The video has received a good deal of traction, even being posted to Seagull Guitar Company social media accounts.

As an interesting aside, this is one of the few tracks that did not feature her on guitar on the album version.  That didn’t stop the multi-instrumentalist from nailing it on the first take.  She’s a cool customer when the red light comes on and the recording starts.

Dale has been very active in support of the release.  In addition to the live video, she also produced a scripted video that was shot and produced by Amelia Jo.  Though this has been a mild winter, when you  see the wardrobe in the video, realize it was shot in December.  Brrr.  Anything for the art.

LoraDale will be joining forces with Michelle O’Neil at the State Theater in Bay City for a mutual album release concert on February 24th at 7:00 PM.  This show will feature a full band of some of the area’s top musicians. 

Tickets are $12 and available either at the State Theater box office or at their website, www.statetheatrebaycity.com.