About This Item
Following up her 2017 , I Wish I Were a Sparrow, multi-instrumentalist Laura Baird returns with Under Blue, an intimate depiction of grief tied to the mourning of her father. The album is anchored by folk guitar and banjo, as well as Baird's strong lyricism and serene harmonies. Under Blue showcases Baird's most authentic self as both a musician and creator, painting naturalistic images of her childhood and adult life to explore themes of change, relational depth, and finding peace. Under Blue is as much an ode to her father as it is to herself, while serving as an homage to nature, which fuels her creative process. Baird's writing for this solo project began in 2012, during the recording of Sparrow, and continued after 2018 when she returned to her childhood home in southern New Jersey, near the Delaware River.InchMy father died and I went to help my mom out and keep her company. I was focused on her, but then the pandemic came and I started writing more again. I sat with these songs for a long time,Inch Baird said of the timeline of Under Blue and it's early onset. Baird shares the value of sitting and processing ideas with her sister and trusted collaborator, Meg Baird, with whom she performs as The Baird Sisters.InchTaking your time, letting things go, and letting something bloom before you go into the next thing is something I learned from Meg.Inch For the arrangement, Meg suggested that Laura add more instruments to the intro of her opening track, InchDays of BlueInch to set the tone of the LP. InchI told her I would put my banjo sprinkles in there, I had fun with that.Inch During her mother's first listen, Baird recounts that she swayed with a soft smile only a moment after she put headphones on. She added that Meg told her she'll be listening to this whenever she is feeling homesick.Meg was one of a few trusted voices to hear Laura's early recordings. InchMy
