Laurie Styvers | Let Me Comfort You: The Hush Rarities

Let Me Comfort You: The Hush Rarities collects the bonus tracks from High Moon Records’ critically lauded CD Gemini Girl.

Appearing on vinyl for the first time, these 11 alternate takes, demos and previously unissued songs hail from the sessions for Laurie Styvers’ two unjustifiably obscure LPs Spilt Milk and The Colorado Kid, recorded in early 1970s London, and recently tagged by Pitchfork as “a sharp and idiosyncratic snapshot of how it feels to try growing up.”

Laurie recorded a small amount in addition to the contents of her two 1970s records, but in the light of her all too brief sojourn in the recording studio, none of it could be considered extraneous. This special collection gathers together those completed masters that remained in the can, along with a smattering of alternate versions and early demonstration recordings. The strength of the material and the production values are commensurate with her released work, and tracks like ‘Let Me Comfort You’ and ‘Crazy Rainy Spring’ can be considered the equal of anything on either album.

Produced by Hugh Murphy (known for his landmark work with Gerry Rafferty, Richard and Linda Thompson, Van Morrison, and more) for the entity Hush Productions, a production company he founded with producer Shel Talmy (The Kinks, The Who, David Bowie). Murphy wisely chose to bring in the cream of British session musicians for the splendid orchestration to highlight the honest lyrics of Styver’s honey-voiced vocals.

Akin to a “lost” third album, this remarkably well-rounded package is a further showcase for the honey-voiced intimacy of this youthful Texas singer-songwriter, with a program of lovelorn gems doused in splendid orchestration. RIYL Carole King, Judee Sill, Weyes Blood. Compiled by Grammy-nominated producer Alec Palao and packaged with a four page lyric insert.