Austin experimental folk artist Jenny Parrott has announced the release oftheir new album ‘Love Spell’, which arrives on 28th June 2024. An eclectic mix of vocals – both in English and Spanish – as well as a range of guitar, synth, and omnichord, the album explores personal themes of Parrott’s life, from surviving toxic relationships to overcoming trauma, and at the end of the day, finding hope and love within oneself and all around.
Piecing together a collection of old and new works, the project explores all forms of love: from platonic, to romantic, to spiritual, resulting in a yearning for a world with more unconditional, unabashed love. It was recorded in Parrott’s home studio, taking moments from their daily life to write and record in bits and pieces.
On ‘Love Spell’, the acoustic guitar used was particularly special, belonging to folk blues musician and long-time friend Steve James, who died in 2023. Parrott’s musical style also mixes electronic elements into the experimental folk, employing their beloved omnichord throughout. Parrott revels in the potential of the instrument acting as an ancestor of the autoharp, highlighting its capabilities as a gospel-like instrument. “Some songs took a few tries and I realised I should follow the path of going wild with my Juno synth and omnichord where I might usually want horns, strings, piano,” Parrott says. “I wanted to play with my passion for folk and soul and also my love of electronic sound.” Bandcamp preorder link is here.
Parrott has released ‘The Other Cheek’ in single and video form. The track features Parrott’s vocals backed by gentle guitar strums as lyrics grapple with unwarranted advice from an outside source. They explain: “The track explores what it feels like when people tell you to turn the other cheek – or change your emotions, or outlook, or to forgive – and the feeling of wanting to but also being uncertain about how.” The video, directed by Jillian Godshall, showcases found footage from vintage scenes, with each clip overlaid and filtered with a purple hue.
