Dresser Hill is the new single taken from Mary Elizabeth Remington‘s upcoming album In Embudo, set for release on 10th February. For the recording of the album, Mary was joined by close friends Adrianne Lenker and James Krivchenia of Big Thief (whose latest album reached No. 3 in our Top 100 albums of 2022) and Mat Davidson (Twain).
Music is beneficial on so many levels – singing together is said to release oxytocin which helps create a positive emotional state. At the same time, research suggests that even just listening to music releases dopamine, a feel-good chemical that aids mental well-being, something we seem to be more in need of in a world where 24-hour news and social media often over-expose us to negativity.
Creativity has long been linked to well-being and happiness, something that has been at the core of Remington’s life for a long time. Her bio shares that she was raised in a log cabin by Moose Brook in Hardwick, Massachusetts, where she grew up with her parents and brother. She was always a creative soul, painting and making artwork throughout her childhood and eventually graduating from MassArt. She travelled to farms to work the earth, to stone yards to cut stone, and to the rivers and oceans to dig for clay, finding rich meaning and potent metaphors for her stories and songs. In the summer of 2013, Mary spent a week at the Kerrville Folk Festival and sang her songs to an audience for the first time. This adventure turned her on to the idea that she should share her songs.
“The thought of someone humming one of my songs while they are crafting, wandering, or going through a difficult time makes me feel closer to all of humanity,” says Remington. “There is a deeply magical and mysterious core to each of us, and when I sing, I connect to this part of myself.”
The sweet harmonies found on Dresser Hill are irresistible, while the positive vibes I got from hearing this were immense. I’ve no doubt that you’ll also get your dopamine fix… Dresser Hill is also our Song of the Day.
When her friend Adrianne Lenker of Big Thief heard Mary sing, she insisted that they make an album together. The ensuing recordings were made using full live takes onto a 4-track in a cabin edged up along the Rio Grande in Embudo, New Mexico, hence the album’s title. Lenker joined Remington on vocals and played acoustic guitar, Mat Davidson of Twain added guitar, bass and vocals, whilst Big Thief’s James Krivchenia played percussion and recorded the album.
Here Mary describes the time recording the album, “The dry desert air and vast clay coloured landscape brought inspiration and calmness to the process of creating music together. Each day I would start to sing, the three of them would begin jamming and after a little while James would hit record. We were recording fresh moments, not overworked or overthought. There were plans to do some overlays, but when we listened to the takes, we all thought, that’s it; leave it just as it is.”
In Embudo will be released on 10th February on classic black vinyl LP, CD and digitally.
Pre-Order the album here: https://fanlink.to/InEmbudo