Anna Tivel – Animal Poem
Originally from Washington, now in Portland, Anna Tivel writes like a poet with a philosopher’s approach to observation. Many of her songs are about people in her neighborhood or things she sees on long walks. Animal Poem, her seventh full-length studio album, was released on Portland’s Fluff & Gravy records.
The concept of Animal Poem revolves around what it means to be human, highlighting the beauty and sadness of everyday life. The title track was inspired after Tivel saw a woman and her child on the side of the road sitting on a milk crate. The woman was looking through her things to find an activity for the child to help pass the time in their unfortunate situation. The song ends with the line, “You can be someone who loves or you can be somebody else. I tell you kid, the first one is the hardest.” It’s a bleak look at life and the situations people find themselves in, but one that offers hope.
In addition to Tivel's poignant lyrics, I’ve always been drawn to her sound. A lot of folk music can be described the way the great songwriter Harlan Howard described country music — “three chords and the truth.” A simple structure as a platform for words of wisdom. While the bones of Tivel’s songs tend to be rather simple, her creative nature goes beyond just her lyrics. Her multi-layered sound incorporates violin, subtle but complex percussion, and distorted keyboards. Recorded live with minimal overdubbing, and arranged pretty much as it was played, her sound has dimension and puts the listener right in the room with the musicians. This album, like a lot of her music, is best heard when you can set aside the time to absorb it.
Hear Anna Tivel's latest JPR Live Session here.
