Adalita

I want to send a shout out to my friend Adalita who is currently touring for her debut solo release simply titled 'Adalita'. Both Adalita and her former band Magic Dirt have been a huge inspiration to me over the years, and I'm very excited about her taking the very brave step forward and releasing music as a solo artist. Adalita has created a very special album. Intimate, raw, powerful and deeply personal as the record explores some of the emotional territory she has traversed since the sad death of her former band mate and best friend Dean Turner.

I was really blown away when I first heard the music. Adalita came over for dinner and afterwards we sat in the lounge and listened to an un-mastered copy of the album. I respect Ad for being so open and direct in the way she has made this record. It's such an honest and sincere document both sonically and in it's content.

I took the photographed above of Adalita (click for larger version) late last year. As it's her voice that features so predominately on the album, I really wanted to take a photo of her 'throat', as well as try and show some of the turbulence of her life over the past 12 months. The whole album is pretty much just Ad's voice mixed above her trademark dirty distorted guitar (like it was originally a full tilt rock album, but the rest of the band has been turned down and you are just left with Adalita's tracks), I'm moved by the simplicity of the arrangements, which are almost minimalist at times, and yet they constantly reveal ideas far more complex.

Check out Adalita here on iTunes.

Here endith the raving.