Thursday, October 1, 2009

31 Songs For Halloween - October 1st: “Jacksie”

Over The Rhine, the Cincinnati-based band headed by vocalist/guitarist Karin Bergquist and bassist/keyboards player Linford Detweiler, has garnered critical acclaim for weaving elements of folk, country, and indie rock behind thought-provoking lyrics. “Jacksie,” the haunting opening track from the band’s 1992 Patience CD, was inspired by the book, A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis. It deals with the loss of a loved one. Still, a casual listener could be forgiven for thinking this is a classic ghost story, especially with lyrics like, “They laid her in the ground./She still comes around./A love that never dies takes you by surprise.” Bergquist’s ethereal vocals, set to a slow, melodic arrangement, sends chills up your spine, especially the way her “la la la la la la la” echoes like you’re traveling through a dark forest.


(1931 Woodcut by Rockwell Kent from Rockwell Kent Legacies, taken from Patience CD lyric book.)

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