"Talismans" by Ieere
Feature
For their fourth (and I understand final) single from their album 'Sad Moon, Sleepy Heads' , Ieere have opted for "Talismans". Since vocalist Claire Glasbey cites it as one of her favourites (though there must be plenty of competition for that accolade given the standards of the album) that must have played a part in the decision. However, more intriguingly, she states that it "really resonates with my current life" too.
Composed by Dominic Hanway and Simon Monaghan, this track features guest flautist Chloe Mullet over a mesh of six and twelves string guitars played by Dom: and that's really it in terms of instruments. The rest is Claire & Simon singing. I have to say that a very clear marker of "class" in music for me is when an artist has plenty of instruments etc at their disposal (as is evidenced across the album as a whole) yet opts for relative simplicity to suit the song. Even the flute plays a discreet and supporting role.
The reason presumably includes a decision to give emphasis to the lyrics (and if you are just joining the Ieere party, like the rest of the album, they originate from Goethe) and without prying into precisely when Claire relates to them, "In a tangle/Can you see?/ Can you untangle me?/Tell me the words/I should be saying/Show me the way/That I should be taking" do seem the sort of sentiments with which we can all relate and have that powerful & yet simple quality which most reflects universal experience and naturally marks out the greatest writers.
As well as the gorgeousness of the overall effect (like Goethe, Ieere prove that keeping it straight and basic can increase the potency), I wonder whether Claire considers it her best vocal to date? I really rated her singing on earlier single "The Earth Spirit" which was a bluesier and sultry approach (which I really enjoyed): whether her performance here is even better (I'm sure you will form your own opinions on the matter) or not, it certainly shows a different side to how she can interpret lyrics: more vulnerability perhaps. When someone writes such words which strip away all their emotional defences & leave them bare to the world, then whoever sings them has to aim for something similar. Quite apart from the technical aspects of the singing, that's quite an ask.
"Talismans" is arguably the most intimate & psychologically profound of Ieere's interpretations of Goethe (and given the author I'm quite prepared for you all to come up with plausible alternatives) and that may be yet another factor in why it's coming out now and not earlier. They have offered us the "fun" side of an author whose popular image is something very different & here they rise admirably to the challenge of setting something much closer to the spirit of introspection I certainly associated with him. If nothing else, they've cured me of the ignorant assumption that ‘Goethe=morbidity'. This is a charmingly presented plea for emotional care & mutual aid. Our society could do well to take heed.
Incidentally, if you're wondering why the cover art is by Turner, it's because the piece is 'Light and Colour (Goethe's Theory)'... his own expression of what he understood the poet to be saying.
