Maria BC’s previous work found the Bay Area singer-songwriter crafting haunting tracks that played like they were being beamed from the heart of some mystical, cobwebbed attic. No, BC announces their sophomore LP, Spike Field, out October 20, along with their signing to staple Brooklyn label, Sacred Bones.
The news is accompanied by the dual single ‘Amber / Watcher’. ‘Amber’ lays eerie key notes atop a bed of gossamer vocals and creaky acoustic guitar. ‘Watcher’ has a comparably pastoral tint, carried by lush voice arrangements and nostalgic piano chords. Both tracks find BC pushing their gauzy formula into increasingly manicured terrain, capturing the sound of a young artist who has quickly honed a singular voice.
On the track, ‘Amber’ Maria BC offers: “Make the mirrors windows” – this line sums up the whole song. I’m reaching out to you so that you might draw me out of myself, out of fear and self-scrutiny, into connection and desire. It’s a love song.”
And on ‘Watcher’: “On ‘Amber,’ the lyrics are about reaching out to receive connection; here, the lyrics are about anticipating that gesture and preemptively reaching down in recognition, like, “I see you’re in pain, I’m here for you. I’m sorry it’s taken so long.” But unlike in ‘Amber,’ that moment of connection never comes. You can’t wish someone’s pain away. You can bear witness to them, but validation can’t undo the past. You have to hold it together, and hold them. It’s difficult. Sometimes you run out of words, like in this song, which opens with this grandiose angelic choir and then just kind of…trails off.”
Spike Field:
- Amber
- Watcher
- [ A backlit door ]
- Haruspex
- Return to sender
- Tire iron
- Daydrinker
- Tied
- Still
- Lacuna
- Mercury
- Spike field
