The Weight Of Hope LP
Merchant: Townsend Music
Merchant's Category: music
Hayley Ross lives by the sea in Brighton, grew up in Waltonon Thames, has spent time in the Caribbean, and is right now renovating a fishing trawler to live on in Newhaven. Fascinated by water, as a child she dreamed of being a mermaid, and therersquos a distinctive watery theme running through her debut album, The Weight Of Hope. notably on tracks like Barracuda and Lay Me Down. Recurring themes is just one of the many pleasures of immersing yourself in this evocative, allusive work.Selfeffacing, but also rightly confident of her musical ability, shersquos a perfectionist who also loves flawshellip and shersquos a bloody determined woman.As a girl, Hayley Ross was surrounded by so much different music and endless mixtapes that she sometimes wouldnrsquot know who she was listening to. Her father loved Bob Dylan, and she had three older brothers one of them into acid house, another into The Smiths and Talking Heads, and one introduced her to the Velvet Underground aged 12. ldquoI heard that song, Venus In Furs, and thought lsquoJesus, whatrsquos thatrsquo It really sparked something in me.rdquo Music is also in her DNA on her motherrsquos side, with an operasinging uncle whorsquod performed at Glyndebourne, and a great aunt whorsquod dazzled on the piano.Exploring further, Hayley fell in love with Nicorsquos distinctive voice on the Velvetsrsquo All Tomorrowrsquos Parties, and the bandrsquos lofi, feedback heavy, jangling output. Which in turn pulled her towards Kim Deal and the Breeders, the Pixies and Yo La Tengo. She adores everything by Suzanne Vega and Tracy Chapman, and more recently the inimitable Frazey Ford. And shersquos drawn to Billie Holiday and Nina Simone, ldquovoices that get into your bonesrdquo.ldquoWhen I was really young we had a church organ I used to tinker around on, one of those twotier organs, which my uncle gave to us. It sat in our house and I used to while away the hours on that. I got my first guitar when I was 13.rdquoHer approach to music is intuitive pick it up, make a noise and be led by what feels right. She started making music in earnest in a studio in an old gin distillery in Deptford ndash then she was off and runninghellipFour years in the making, Hayley Rossrsquo debut album, The Weight Of Hope features everything but the kitchen sink, as shersquos become a serial hoarder of unusual instruments stylophone, cigar box guitar, Korg monotron, melodica, plus borrowed harmonium ndash and musical saw and crystal wine glasses played by Nick Pynn. ldquoHe brought the wine glasses to the studio filled with water to different levels, on a box that was plugged in. He only lives down the road, so he carried it dow, but its still quiet impressiverdquo.Getting the legendary John Leckie to mix the album was another boost ndash especially as Hayley is a massive Stone Roses fan. Initially Leckie was only supposed to mix a couple of songs, but after hearing it he said he wanted to do the whole record ndash so he mixed all but one of the tracks. Mastering it at Abby Road studios was yet another pleasant surprise.ldquoSo I havenrsquot ironed out the kinksrdquo she says. ldquoItrsquos not even a conscious thing, I remember listening to a tape of my dad, and someone had recorded outside with all the crickets on it, and it was one of the most beautiful things Irsquod ever heard. It doesnrsquot bother me if somethings slight off or out ndash itrsquos got a lifehellipI prefer it warts and all.rdquo
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