It all started with a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame, where an innocent afternoon wandering the exhibits and learning about her musical heroes, like Hank Williams, George Jones, Buck Owens, and Tammy Wynette, led acclaimed LA singer and songwriter Eleni Mandell on an unexpected journey of profound musical and personal self-discovery culminating in 'Dark Lights Up,' her tenth and most captivating album yet. "It was a profound experience for me," says Mandell. "Seeing all their lyrics and guitars on display made me reflect on just how deeply I'd been influenced by classic country."
Co-producing the new album herself with longtime friend and collaborator Sheldon Gomberg in his Silver Lake studio, Mandell distilled her songs down to their purest cores, assembling all of the musicians together in a single room with only acoustic instruments to cut the record live in just four days. The result is an utterly charming, beguiling album, drawing on elements of folk, jazz, and standards with an infectious charisma, as Mandell's voice melts over the stripped-down arrangements to create a lush, sensuous intimacy.
Bundle also available: Bundle Dark Lights Up CD/LP with the official Pendant & Glow-in-the-Dark Poster!
