becca stevens Maple to Paper [Japan commemorative edition] Japan Music CD

Product Description
Contents: Becca Stevens' latest solo album, her first in four years, is an emotionally powerful work featuring overwhelming expressiveness through all-guitar-accompanied vocals. Commentary: Kentaro Takahashi / Lyrics Translation: Kazumi Someya (Original songs only) [Track Listing] 1. Now Feels Bigger than the Past 2. Shoulda Been There for Me 3. I'm Not Her 4. Hey, Bear 5. How to Listen 6. So Many Angels 7. Wild Eyes Open 8. Maple to Paper 9. If I Die Before You 10. Someone Else Again 11. Beast of a Song 12. Payin?f to be Apart 13. Rainbow Connection [Bonus Tracks for the Japanese Edition] 14. The Fool Will Stay Becca Stevens: Guitar, Vocals *Produced, arranged, engineered by Becca Stevens *Mixed by Nic Hard *Mastered by Danid McNair *All lyrics and composed by Becca Stevens (except M13: Paul H. Williams / Kenneth Lee Ascher) (except M14: Lyrics adapted from William Shakespear?fs King Lyre/Music by Becca Stevens) Becca Stevens, who has recently collaborated with Elan Meller (2019), The Secret Trio (2021), and Attacca Quartet (2022), has finally released her first original album since 2020's "Wonderbloom". From 2022 onwards, two major life changes occurred in quick succession: the death of her mother and the birth of her daughter (and her confidant and collaborator, David Crosby, also passed away). This album is an artistic transformation of these experiences into a work of art. While her previous albums were all strongly communal in nature, this is the first album she has created entirely on her own, and her extraordinary talent shines through throughout. Described as a "troubadour-like approach to telling her own story," the album features a sound where minimalism and emotion progress simultaneously. Her acclaimed guitar work is heavily influenced by her Appalachian folk roots, and her vocals, which are arguably her most expressive and overflowing to date, create a whole world within the album. The lyrics center on the loss and memories she felt after her mother's death, the tender confusion of motherhood, and the transformation of things, using the motif of "maple leaves turning into paper" as the title suggests. For example, in the opening track, the 1st single "Now Feels Bigger than the Past," she sings about the challenges of being an artist in today's streaming world and her personal struggles, while also singing about "the sense of loss/acceptance/the feeling of being alive/artistic expression" as a prologue to the album. ("What does it mean that when an artist dies, their art becomes more profound? / People who didn't listen before are now jumping in / And people who barely knew the lyrics say, 'Oh, I've always loved this!' / You, who spare no penny / Cry out as if you've lost your only friend" - general meaning) ("What does it mean that the harm caused by a traitor is forgiven when they die? (omitted) / Why is the grief endless when a mother dies? (omitted) / The present feels bigger than the past, and in retrospect, imperfection is beautiful" - general meaning) The Japanese CD version includes a translation of the lyrics. Track 13 is a song from the 1979 film "The Muppets" (written by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher), and is known for being covered by many artists, including The Carpenters. Media reviews and more: Becca Stevens, who has recently collaborated with Elan Meller (2019), The Secret Trio (2021), and Attacca Quartet (2022), has finally released her latest original album since 2020's "Wonderbloom." Two major life changes occurred in 2023: the death of her mother and the birth of her daughter, and this album is an artistic transformation of those experiences into a work of art. While all of her previous albums had a strong communal character, this is the first album in her career that she created entirely on her own, and the extraordinary talent that makes it work permeates the entire album. (C)RS