The Nine Seas, Fiona McBain (Ollabelle, The Big Bright, Then There Were Two) and Liz Tormes (solo artist, The Big Bright), will release their debut album, Dream of Me, on April 3rd. Dream of Me, a collection of 12 tracks featuring two gentle voices telling dark-hued stories, was co-produced by McBain and Tormes with southern American singer-songwriter and guitarist, Jim White.
Fiona McBain and Liz Tormes have been playing guitars and blending their exquisite voices in quite a few projects since they first connected in New York City 20 years ago. Originally performing under the name Fizz, they changed their name to The Nine Seas, a nod to 9C, the Lower East Side club on 9th and Ave. C where they first met.
McBain grew up in a musical family from the suburbs of Sydney, Australia. As a teenager, she studied classical guitar, wrote folk and jazz-based songs and began performing in public with her first band right out of high school. She traveled to New York City with no plans to stay, but fell in love with the rich music scene. Tormes, by contrast, didn’t sing or play music at all before moving to New York City from Nashville. She followed a boyfriend whose band had a regular gig at 9C, then a hot downtown music club. While learning guitar, she also began singing and was soon asked to form a band with a couple fellow musicians from the 9C scene.
Tormes was singing murder ballads with The Misery Trio at 9C when she first met McBain, then singing jazz in other local clubs. She introduced her new friend to Roger Davis, the bartender at 9C, who offered a regular gig and eventually the two were singing together. At the time, McBain was unfamiliar with the early country music they would come to favor.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the duo’s rendition of “Trials, Troubles, Tribulations”, a bluegrass gospel classic originally recorded by Estil C. Ball in 1959. The song has been a favorite and a frequent staple on their setlists, which is why they chose to include two different versions on the album. This particular version features contributions from Jim White, who added banjo, drums, melodica and other atmospherics. The result is an almost archaic, field-recording sound that lends itself well to the rich vocals of McBain and Tormes, who posses the distinct gift of blood harmonies despite not being related. Between the vocals and the slow churn of the instruments, there is an airy, almost spiritual mood to the song and you can feel the connection to it that both singers have.
Tormes shares her personal story behind the song:
“This is a song I learned from a Joe Val record. The lyrics are quite terrifying and highly reminiscent of my junior high days when I attended a private Christian school in the Bible Belt. ‘Hellfire and damnation’ was a favorite talking point in our daily bible class.”
McBain adds her own perspective:
“What a song this is! Fire, Damnation and Beasts all pouring upon us! I was not from a religious family but my atheist father studied religions from all over the world and would often remark on the Book of Revelations in the Bible. As a teenager, I chose to go to church with my friends because I loved the music, but I was always fascinated by the sermons that told of the suffering which awaited non-repenters. I found it thrilling and bizarre! ‘Trials’ as a song is direct and relentless. The first time I heard it performed was when Elena Skye sang it with The Demolition String band at bar 9C, she sang the lower part which added to the intensity of the song. When Liz played it for me I took the lower harmony and tried to sound as convincingly frightening as possible.”
LISTEN:
The Nine Seas release Dream of Me on April 3rd. For more music and info visit thenineseas.com.
Photo credit: Clarence Klingebiel
