With this debut recording, Elizabeth Anka Vajagic sets her vocals against a backdrop led by ragged guitars, moving from harrowing, dry-as-a-bone intimacy (“With Hopes Lost”, “Iceland”) to reverb-soaked torch-song balladry (“Around Here”, “Sleep With Dried Up Tears”), and the odd explosive noise freak-out along the way (“Where You Wonder”). Vajagic’s voice and lyrics are uniquely powerful, able to move across a considerable range while remaining guttural, unflinching and honest as hell. Through much cross-pollination with the local noise/improv scene, Elizabeth assembled a fine cast of players to add textures and arrangements to the seven tracks on this record, making for an intense cycle of songs peppered with skittering drums, contrebasse, cello, harmonium, piano, bowed cymbals, and oud. Guest players include Chris Burns and Simon Fazakerly (Crackpot) on guitars, Beckie Foon (Silver Mt. Zion, Esmerine) on cello, Michel Langevin (Voivod) on drums, Fluffy Erskine (Molasses, Hrsta) on musical saw, Sam Shalabi (Land Of Kush) on oud and Efrim (Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Silver Mt. Zion) on piano, harmonium, guitar and backing vocals. The album was recorded by Howard Bilerman at the original Hotel2Tango in Montreal. 

 

LP is pressed on 180g audiophile vinyl and comes in a thick printed jacket with artwork insert.

 CD comes in a custom paperboard mini-gatefold jacket with a printed CD dust sleeve and credits insert.

 

Elizabeth Anka Vajagic: guitar, baby piano, voice
Chris Burns: guitar
Michel Langevin: drums
Marc Peetsma: bass

FEATURED GUESTS

Fluffy Erskine: saw on Track 2
Simon Fazakerly: guitar on Track 5
Beckie Foon: cello on Tracks 1, 3
Efrim Menuck: piano, voice on Track 1; harmonium on Track 3; guitar on Track 6
Sam Shalabi: oud on Track 6

Recorded and mixed at the Hotel2Tango in Montreal by Howard Bilerman, winter 2003.
Mastered at Grey Market in Montreal by Harris Newman.