Anais Mitchell’s masterful album, Young Man in America, is one of a handful of albums that have been dominating our listening time as we wrote earlier this year.  Mitchell is one of our most gifted songwriters, and Young Man in America bears this out once again with its deceptively simple songs.  The modern folk songs on the album speak to youthful vantages of America (imagine that) and their/its growing pains and prizes.  Mitchell’s incisive lyrics always manage to put a fine point on matters.  Any songwriter who can write lines like the following deserves our strictest attention:  “Now that he’s gone away there isn’t anyone to tell me if I’m a diamond or a dime-a-dozen,” and “Your daddy didn’t leave a will, he left a shovel and a hole to fill.”   To cap it off, Mitchell’s voice beautifully ranges from Joanna Newsom to CocoRosie to Rickie Lee Jones, and all points in between.  Highly recommended.

To get more of a feel, check out Anaïs Mitchell & The Young Man Band (Noah Hahn, Rachel Ries and Ben Davis) performing Dyin’ Day (riffing on Abraham and the near-sacrifice of his son Isaac) and Ships from the new album, and Cosmic American off of her album, Hymns For The Exiled, all as recorded last night at The Ruby Lounge in Manchester, England.

After the live performances, we must re-post the official video for one of the finest songs written this or any other year, Coming Down.  When Mitchell sings the chorus, you can’t help but hear and feel deep within the ineffable cessation of effervescence.  Within or without, it can only be prolonged so long.  Please, please don’t leave, easy feeling, don’t leave me like that, not yet, don’t set me free….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7fWKfrKmJI&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXnIzjSdlkc&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Gm27Q8u6I8&feature=channel&list=UL