Simple Questions – Lacrymosa (Buy)
To call Caitlin Pasko aka Lacrymosa anything less than a composer would be to misrepresent the music she creates. Despite the relatively short length of her tracks, Pasko is able to produce shifts in tone and movements in composition that most artists today wouldn’t dare attempt. Her simple, haunting vocals, as well as her lyrical depth, compliment this continuous flux, though, and keep the songs grounded to a relatable place.
The power behind Lacrymosa’s work comes as no surprise given her background. A native of Virginia Beach, she began studying classical piano from a very young age. Her complete mastery of the instrument is obvious in each song and the reason behind her distinctive musical voice. In addition to this piano focus, though, are a variety of other background instruments. In particular, Pasko’s use of strings gives her songs a richer and fuller sound, often offering a means of transition and support.
Her recent release, Selah, combines these classical elements with folksy pop and avant-garde vocals. “You Will Find Them” is probably my favorite track off of the album. Focusing mainly on the piano elements of the song, it maintains a bare simplicity without losing any of its strength. Lacrymosa demonstrates her vocal ability particularly well in “Not About Want”, which has her harmonizing particularly well with the music.
To support the song “Simple Questions”, Pasko has also released an incredibly beautiful video. While the song itself is one of the best on the album, the imagery of the video adds texture to its lyrics and meaning. I highly recommend you head to her website to watch the video and buy to her new album.
