FaveAlbumLargeBillie Holiday

Lady Sings the Blues (Clef)

One Square Mile Sings the Blues: Vanessa Kaylor of Hermosa Beach punks One Square Mile told us about her love for a Billie Holiday classic.

Billieholidayladysingstheblues

(Clef)

Vanessa Kaylor: My favorite album of all time is Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday. LSTB was released in 1956. It was her last record with Clef Records who were later absorbed by Verve Records. The sessions were done in  New York City at Fine Sound Studio 1956 and in Los Angeles at Capitol Studios in 1954.

It was released simultaneously with her ghost- written autobiography of the same name.  Holiday claims to have never read the book once it was complete.  Her early life was difficult and she found solace in music. She had a  melancholy in her voice and a very distinct way of expressing herself through her phrasing. She wrote about abuse, addiction and government persecution.She had substance abuse problems and was given a warning in 1941 by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics to cease singing her controversial track “Strange Fruit” but she continued to perform the song.  The band would close with it, the waiters would stop service, the room dark with only a spotlight on Holidays’ face and no encore.“God Bless the Child” is a song written about the strained relationship with her mother in a relationship ending argument over money. A moving performance of unique melody and  a bold religious comparison of how we treat one another when prestige takes control.She was incredible in her vocal delivery. She was also direct in her desire to evoke a strong emotional response  from the audience. This album is best described with a quote from Holiday herself: “If I’m going to sing like someone else, then I don’t need to sing at all.”

One Square Mile Sings the Blues: One Square Mile’s new EP Source of Suffering is out now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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