July Flame

July Flame is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Laura Veirs, released on January 12, 2010.

July Flame
Studio album by Laura Veirs
Released	January 12, 2010
Genre	Folk, indie rock, Chamber folk
Length	43:58
Label	Raven Marching Band Records Bella Union
Producer	Tucker Martine
Laura Veirs chronology
Saltbreakers (2007) July Flame (2010) Tumble Bee (2011)

The title comes from a type of peach Veirs saw at a farmer's market.[1] Jim James of American rock band My Morning Jacket contributes falsetto harmonies on several tracks, including "Carol Kaye" which is a tribute to the so named bass guitarist.[1]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Pitchfork Media	7.5/10[3]

Reviews of July Flame have been favorable. The Independent calls it an "obliquely beautiful record, as they tend to be. Poetic and simple".[4] The New York Times says it is "full of layered folk and indie-rock bucolia and plain-spoken but stretchy-thinking language" and "there are some great, seemingly unforced, séancelike moments here".[5] The Guardian praises the album as "so extravagantly beautiful that it will send you scurrying back to its predecessors".[6] Entertainment Weekly writes that the album "sends us on hikes through dreamy landscapes evoked by her uniquely tangy voice, casting minimal instrumentation in glistening arrangements to captivate the melancholy imagination."[7] Paste Magazine proclaims that the album is Veirs' "finest work", and says "It's hard to imagine a better soundtrack to the chilly months than this collection of heady, steady, pensive songs".[8]

Track listing

All tracks written by Laura Veirs

1. "I Can See Your Tracks"- 2:58
2. "July Flame"- 3:45
3. "Sun Is King"- 3:20
4. "Where Are You Driving?"- 2:53
5. "Life Is Good Blues"- 2:35
6. "Silo Song"- 2:39
7. "Little Deschutes"- 4:06
8. "Summer Is the Champion" - 4:25
9. "When You Give Your Heart" - 3:05
10. "Sleeper in the Valley"- 4:02
11. "Wide-Eyed, Legless"- 2:35
12. "Carol Kaye"- 3:20
13. "Make Something Good" - 4:14

Credits

• Laura Veirs, lead vocals, guitars, banjo, piano, bass guitar
• Tucker Martine, drums, percussion, piano & backing vocals (tracks #1–3,5–6,8,10)
• Karl Blau, bass guitar, piano, strings, electric guitar, organ, saxophone & backing vocals (#2–8,12–13)
• Jon Neufeld, guitars & backing vocals (#1–3,5–6,9,10,12)

Guest musicians

• Chris Funk, pedal steel guitar, twelve-string guitar, autoharp & mandolin (#3,8,9)
• Jim James, vocals (#1,3,6,12)
• Eyvind Kang, viola (#2,4,6,9,11)
• Scott Magee, bass clarinet (#11)
• Steve Moore, piano & electric piano, lowry organ, synths, loops & bells (#4,8,10,11)
• Victor Nash, vibraphone, trumpet (#3,8)
• Nate Query, upright bass (#11)
• Annalisa Tornfelt, backing vocals (#2,13)

• John McDonald, backing vocals (#2)
• Mac Martine, backing vocals (#2)
• Sarah Dougher, backing vocals (#2)
• Shannon Sneed, backing vocals (#2)

References

1. Caraeff, Ezra Ace (7 January 2010). "Real Peach". The Portland Mercury. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
2. Allen, J. "Review: July Flame". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-01-19.
3. Tangari, Joe. "Review: July Flame". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2010-01-19.
4. Coleman, Nick (10 January 2010). "Album: Laura Veirs, July Flame (Bella Union)". The Independent. London. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
5. Ratliff, Ben (10 January 2010). "New CDs". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
6. Costa, Maddy (7 January 2010). "Laura Veirs: July Flame". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
7. Pastorek, Whitney (7 January 2010). "July Flame (2010)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
8. Maddux, Rachel (12 January 2010). "Laura Veirs: July Flame". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 12 January 2010.