
Shannon Lay – Geist
Sub Pop Records – 8 October 2021
The release of Shannon Lay’s new album Geist proves what a strange and wonderful world we live in. It’s been two years since Lay released August. During that time, the world has changed in ways no one could expect. Recording her new album was done in isolation, yet nothing about it feels isolated; this album is very much in touch with the real world. Perhaps more so because of having the time to reconnect with the things that are most important in life.
“Geist” itself is German for spirit, and it permeates this collection of songs, offering the hope of an otherworldly presence, along with a promise that you are never really on your own. The reassurance that provides informs virtually every track, including the opening “Rare to Wake.” The finger-picked guitar and chorus of Lays sing, “I will miss my home/ But I’m longing to grow/ I will miss my pain/ I have to make way for something better (make way).” As the song builds, a jazzy edge emerges with Ben Boyce’s electric piano taking the song on a trip farther afield than the opening would suggest.
Throughout this 10-song collection, surprises appear, subtly suggesting that despite the distances involved, there were incredible amounts of experimentation and collaboration. None more so than on “Awaken and Allow,” where we are treated to the voice of Lay singing virtually acapella, “I am so still I feel the earth turning/ The moon falls slowly into place/ Do not resist new forms are calling/ They patiently await embrace.” Unadorned and unafraid, Lay sings in a way suggesting a song of Celtic wisdom, creating another unexpected moment. The synth that enters towards the song’s end seems to be a way of mirroring the fear of the unknown that often keeps us from doing the things that we have to do.
Equally surprising is her choice to cover Syd Barrett’s “Late Night.” You can feel her stripped-back version playing on the senses. Guitar and voice, along with the accompaniment of strings, create a gentle remembrance of both Barrett and the love he shared. While the lyrics don’t look like much on the printed page, hearing her sing, “Inside me I feel alone and unreal/ And the way you kiss will always be/ A very special thing to me,” you begin to understand both the attraction of the song and the attraction Barrett had for this woman.
Concluding the album, “July” is an instrumental built on Lay’s acoustic guitar. Yet the song evolves with washes of synths, creating a hot, languid air full of possibility. Just another way that Lay is able to create an album that keeps us entranced while playing off the unexpected. It’s worth remembering that she spent a number of years playing with Ty Segall, another artist who has been known to play with people’s expectations.
Shannon Lay continues to entrance listeners, layering her voice in ways that almost lull us with their lush layers of sound. Yet even when she strips things back to just a voice and a guitar, we can hear a woman who is entering a new stage in her life and willing to take stock of who she is and take the time to be aware of the moment. Such is the glory of Geist.
Order via Bandcamp: https://shannonlay.bandcamp.com/album/geist