Amelia - A Long, Lovely List of Repairs Review
Posted by Stormin Norman on 07.20.2008
The bitter-sweetness of life provides the fuel for this pop, soul and modern folk fusion album.
Track Listing
1. Enemigo- 2:53
2.Farewell- 4:11
3. Tragedy- 2:59
4. After You- 3:02
5. Try- 3:15
6. The End- 1:20
7. Dolores- 3:46
8. Thick As Thieves- 1:38
9. Sugar Falls- 2:46
10. The Great Escape- 3:38
11. Eyesore- 2:56
12. Cover The Leak- 2:02
13. Needlework- 3:16
14. Here We Are- 2:15
The Band
I had heard of the Portland, Oregon trio Amelia, but never had the opportunity or really the desire to further explore their music. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised with their newly released album A Long, Lovely List of Repairs. Not really knowing anything about the band other than they are Portland based, I headed to see my trusty research sidekick Wikipedia to see what she had to say about this gem of a band. Amelia, the band from Portland, OR was not listed, but for what it’s worth from now on when I hear the word Amelia, I will think of the picture from Wikipedia of the guy who has one normal arm and a tiny nub for the other arm, since Amelia is also the birth defect of lacking one or more limbs. As for the band, after some further research I found that this trio used to be a foursome until drummer Richard Cuellar decided to leave the band to pursue a career as a tattoo artist after the release of their second studio album, “After All”. The trio is comprised of bassist Jesse Emerson, guitarist Scott Weddle and vocalist/drummer Teisha Helgerson.
Emerson, Weddle and Cuellar were members of The Flatirons along with guitarist Jason Okamoto and vocalist Wendy Pate, prior to founding Amelia. Who after a promising rock, alternative country album debut, and two failed attempts at a record deal, disbanded because of creative differences. During Amelia’s original formation in 2000, Emerson was fired. But after a pair of bassists and drummers proved to be a less than ideal fit, Emerson, Weddle and Cuellar reunited to create the chemistry they never had with their previous band and sought to acquire a vocalist who could bring the passion behind their lyrics to life. Enter Helgerson, who previously toured with Say Uncle an R&B act with her actual uncle and an assortment of friends, before embarking on a solo career. Helgerson’s vocal ability and range, would be the perfect addition to bring their vision to life. And after convincing her to put her solo project on hold, she became Amelia’s main element. The bands 2002 debut album Somewhere Left To Fall garnered them a loyal fan base across the northwest. While their sophomore album After All captured the attention of adult album alternative stations nationwide, with their single “Jigsaw” making the playlists of over 20 radio stations.
The Scoop A Long, Lovely List of Repairs, Amelia’s third studio album that was four years in the making, is a cross between adult pop, modern folk and soul. The instrument play and orchestration of producer Mark Orton, seems to mesh perfectly with Helgerson’s sultry voice. While the innovative mix of electric piano, percussion, violin and rustic guitar sets the perfect backdrop for this melancholy yet refreshing album. A Long, Lovely List of Repairs, paints a vivid picture of the internal struggle with love, heartbreak, life and death, that anyone who has experienced any of these is sure to relate to. After sampling their first two albums, the growth of Helgerson as a vocalist is prevalent. Her confidence and willingness to take risks, combined with the production of Mark Orton make this their best album yet. This album’s ability to appeal to mainstream music fans, while staying true to their eclectic roots, could put them on the mainstream radar indefinitely.
The sorrowful overtones of the album are undeniably represented in the lyrics of, “Tragedy”, “Great Escape” and “Enemigo”. “Enemigo”, performed in Spanish by Helgerson, depicts the struggle of holding onto faith when all hope seems lost, “The enemy believes that I’m lacking faith…/ He hides himself in the shadows of piety…/ The meek of pure faith will triumph/ The seraphims descend to be by my side until the end.” A seraphim according to the Christian angel hierarchy, represents the highest known rank of angels. “Tragedy” emphasizes the often cruelty of life’s obstacles and the burning desire to overcome them with the lyrics, “Are the white ships in a slow drift/ Can a heart overflow/ Can we write this in a new script/ Can we pull closed the door”. While the lyrics “…and the time she spends in the middle/ Is the dullest pain/ So she lies awake and waits/ For the love that got away” from “Great Escape”, accentuates the agony of loosing that one true love.
Despite A Long, Lovely List of Repairs’s easy listening quality, sometimes it is hard to make sense of the lyrics that are being strung together and at times steps into the realm of being classified as artsy. The album also lacks consistency in tempo, opening up with a high/mid tempo track, before settling into a low/mid tempo for the next seven tracks, then fluctuating for the final six tracks. Still this a pretty good album and I am looking forward to catching a one of their live shows. Because according to a couple of my friends from Portland, Amelia is a great band to see live, their on stage chemistry and Helgerson’s voice really stand out.
The 411: Overall I found Amelia’s album A Long, Lovely List of Repairs to be thoroughly enjoyable. The melodic combination of strings and percussion, laced with the velvety vocals of Helgerson is extremely serene and soothing. While the lyrics take you on journey through a minefield of pain, loss and perseverance. This is a great album to listen to while relaxing out by the pool this summer or while unwinding after a long day of work. Although you may be turned off by the opening track Enemigo, the rest of the album is well worth the listen.
