Following the release of her latest record, The Lookout, singer-songwriter and acclaimed folk-pop artist Laura Veirs is now a full 10 albums deep into her solo career and is still searching for fresh inspiration. Here, she reveals her most-cherished musical touchstones…
Neil Young – Harvest Moon
“This is one I go back to again and again. Neil has an inimitable way of writing deep yet simple songs. I find inspiration in a song like Unknown Legend, that basically has just two chords but all the emotional depth of some of his greatest work.”
Leonard Cohen – The Best Of Leonard Cohen
“I studied Suzanne and was blown away by the complexities of the guitar part. It sounds simple at first, but there are unusual patterns that play out effortlessly. The lyrics in this song inspire me so much: ‘There are heroes in the seaweed’.”
Joni Mitchell – Blue
“I listened to this a lot in high school and again before I recorded my most recent album. I love how sparse the arrangements are. This is one of the best albums ever because Joni is able to so quickly and deftly dive into deep emotion.”
Alice Coltrane – Journey In Satchidananda
“This music is spiritually enriching. It always inspires me to stretch as an artist, mother and wife, to live life and create music with love and peacefulness as my anchors.”
Karl Blau – Introducing
“Karl Blau has one of the best voices of our generation and you can hear it clearly on this record. Karl is an old friend and the longer I know him, the deeper his artistry becomes. This is his first collaboration with producer [and Laura’s husband] Tucker Martine.”
Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou – Self-Titled
“This music was made by an Ethiopian nun. It’s like a river. When I want to calm down, I listen to it. It brings me serenity and peace. It’s part classical, part free-flowing improvisation.”
Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell
“I am inspired by Sufjan’s lyrical bravery on this album. He reminds me to be vulnerable in my writing. He shares his heart in a musically simple way, but his emotional complexities are very real.”
Khruangbin – Con Todo El Mundo
“I have been binge-listening to these guys. This music feels good and our kids are fans now, too. Mark Speer’s guitar playing is virtuosic without being showy. They’ve inspired me to write my next album on the electric guitar.”
Juana Molina – Segundo
“Another inimitable artist, a true original. I love how Juana pushes boundaries in her art. I love her mix of organic and electronic instruments. I love that she was a famous comedian and dropped it all to follow her calling to be a musician.”
The Microphones – The Glow Pt. 2
“I love this album for its raw, youthful, rebellious energy. I listened to it a lot when it came out (a long time ago!) and it influenced my lyrics, my approach to the nylon-string guitar, and my do-it-yourself ethos.”