A BIDFORD singer-songwriter Linzi Jane Morgan marked the release of her debut album, Love & Other Stories with a full album gig at The Fleece Inn, Bretforton on February 19.
The 12 track compilation features the multi-talents of Stratford’s Bafta-winning record producer Paul Johnston of Rhythm Studios on bass guitar, piano, drums and orchestral strings from Feast of Fiddles’ folk powerhouse, Marion Fleetwood from Evesham who both accompanied her on the night.
Linzi Jane was also supported at the iconic folk venue by Tom Leary on mandolin and violin with Vo Fletcher on acoustic guitar.
Love & Other Stories by Linzi Jane Morgan. s
“I was totally captivated by the talent and wonderful musicianship of the band I had playing with me. We so appreciated the wonderful audience and have been overwhelmed by the reaction to the live gig. We very much look forward to playing very soon,” she told the Observer.
The album, released on February 20 on all major platforms, blends soundscapes of soaring rhythmical harmonies and orchestral strings with confessional lyrics and lo-fi earthy beats and acoustic guitars.
The songs capture the loss of core connections with a dose of nostalgia, and an open heart that follows growth through adversity into healing.
Linzi Jane, who is also an artist, began working in song and drawn video in 2021, exploring the cyclical nature of grief and its antithesis, hope, connecting with gallery audiences through sound, poetry and moving drawn videos for her award winning ‘Open Book’ project.
Linzi Jane Morgan. Photo Jennifer Lou Photography
“This album started out as a collection of songs for a demo in response to my crafts masters work when I started exploring the grief of sudden death, through song, book form, video and installation,” she said.
“As much a healing path and exploration of harmonic soundscape and poetry, this album’s sound grew with each song, always from my original vocal and guitar, and always from a place of nurture, the process was the healing and vice versa.
“So I guess it’s been an evolving canvas, more of a painting with words and music than a plan.
“Love & Other Stories’ explores the nature of connections, but also my learning to let go, something I don’t do easily as I tend to instinctively cling to the mountain.
“But some things you don’t have a choice, and they are gone, leaving you on the edge of everything you knew.
She added: “This album goes partway to describe how this felt for me and I hope others can connect with the strangeness of trying to negotiate a changing, unfamiliar landscape that unfolds with no signposts or map”.
