“I had this memory of people having guitars no matter where we were,” songwriter Alicia Viani says of her childhood, much of which was spent overseas, “and how easy it is to share music with people, which speaks to the entire point of why we play songs—to connect and not feel alone.”
This sentiment runs through Viani’s self-titled debut album, coloring her thoughtfully penned songs with a tenderness that becomes familiar throughout the record. Viani, who is now based out of Bend, Oregon, learned to understand the power of music while growing up and traveling abroad. One constant, whether she was in Japan or Indonesia, was that music was always available as a deep form of connection, despite language barriers. She recalls an especially potent memory from her time spent in Mongolia as an adult, when she learned and sang folk songs with her host family while riding horses.
Viani’s desire for utmost connection is embodied by the sensitive ballads that make up the new album, and today Glide is excited to share an exclusive early listen ahead of the album’s release. Singing with a voice that feels entirely human, Viani showcases her ability as a songwriter to capture moments of deep complexity and heartbreak in a way that feels down to earth and at peace. Her warm country-folk is brimming with simple arrangements and an easygoing rhythm section that never overshadows the vocals and lyrics. Gorgeous harmonies and the occasional slide guitar add flourishes to the songs, giving them a rich depth that isn’t totally obvious on first listen. From sweeping ballads to heartfelt and intimate acoustic folk, this album marks an impressive debut that is best enjoyed while sipping a glass of wine on your porch and enjoying a summer evening.
Alicia Viani shares her thoughts on the inspiration and process behind the album:
This record is a pretty authentic visit into my brain and I put a lot of internal and external life exploration into the lyrics and songwriting. All the songs are originals, and are my process of trying to make sense of what emotionally moves me. I look at cultural racism in “Good Man,” love and loss in “Tomten Farm”, how I feel as a woman navigating sexuality and being sexualized in “Golden Women,” how as a therapist I’ve been touched by clients’ stories and lives in “How the Sun Survives” and “Wounded Healer,” and the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh in “Redemption.” Intellectualizing big concepts like racism don’t help me feel the impact of what’s actually happening, so I came up with the story of a fictional guy named Jackson in “Good Man” to try to connect and empathize to understand better. I read the name of a woman named Rose in the news after the Pittsburgh massacre and wrote about her, even though I have no idea about her or her life, to help me feel the impact. I think we need to feel the impact and not go numb, which is easy to do with so much overload.
I loved working with Amy Speace and her team in Nashville. They are all next level. Even though it has a little Nashville polish on it, we recorded it quickly. Most of the record is first and second takes, which preserved some of that authentic “straight from Alicia’s brain into the speakers” feeling. I loved making it and I love listening to it now. It was an enormously gratifying experience and if others enjoy it too, what a bonus!
LISTEN:
For more info visit aliciaviani.com. PRE-ORDER
Photo credit: Laura Schneider
