Waxahatchee
Air
Merge Records

"Waxahatchee is an Indian word of the Creek Indians, from The Creek Nation (in what's now Georgia and Alabama). [..] Waxahatachee comes from the Muskogee (or Muscogee) language, the most widely used of a half dozen or more languages spoken in the Creek Nation. [..] Waxahatchee translates as 'Wakse Creek'. The 'hatchee' part is from the Muskogee word 'hvcce' (sounds like 'hutchee'), which means 'creek', 'stream', or 'river'. The 'Waxa' part of 'Waxahatchee' probably comes from Muskogee 'wakse' (sounds like 'wocksy'), a very old word that is both a clan name and an element in some personal names. Clans were usually named after animals or plants (especially food plants). The Wakse clan ('Waksvlke' in Muskogee) belong to a small set of clans with names that have lost their meanings. My guess is that the word 'wakse' refers to a plant that bore some kind of edible fruit. The actual Creek name may well have been 'Waksvyoce' (sounds like 'Woksa-'yo-chee'), meaning 'wakse picking place'." (edited, from the à la Rob blog)

Waxahatchee is the solo musical project of Katie Crutchfield, formerly of the pop punk band P.S. Eliot (who were Allison Crutchfield, on drums, and her twin sister Katie, on guitars and vocals). "Air" is picked from Katie's third album, Ivy Tripp (due out on 7 April 2015), following Cerulean Salt (2013), and her debut album, American Weekend (2012). Both released by Don Giovanni Records. According to her new label Merge Records, her musical project is named after a creek not far from her childhood home in Alabama (Crutchfield today resides in Long Island, New York), and it '...seems to represent both where she came from and where she's going.' Further Merge states that 'the lament and grieving for her youth seem to have been replaced with control and sheer self-honesty.' Waxahatchee's music sways in a most meditative way. In some way she sounds like an artist in-between, say Björk, PJ Harvey and Angel Olsen. However, hey that is just me. It is not as 'simple' as that.

"Air" is a breathing, organic song coming up for air. This is for sure some hushed, soothing and low-toned music. NPR describes Waxahatchee or Katie Crutchfield's music as being 'minimal songs with gnarled guitars and punk drumming'. True words. There is a somewhat 'Indian vibe' over this song, and the D.I.Y. punk spirit and feel is truly apparent. Simple, basic drums, discreet guitar chords/picking, and some filling, colouring keyboards. I look forward to check out the rest of Ivy Tripp when it comes out some two months from now. This is a raw, mild and honest song.

PS. "The Creek suffered a series of American invasions. The Battle of Horseshoe Bend (March 28, 1814), in which Andrew Jackson's army slaughtered Creek men, women, and children, is believed to have killed more native people than any other single day in the history of U.S. wars against Indians. This battle is usually described as if it were the end of the Creek Nation. But Creek people held onto their territory for another two decades until Jackson (the Creek's worst enemy, who later became USA's 7th president, 1829-1837). Most modern Creek people live in Oklahoma, and an unknown but growing number still speak their own language as well as English. [..] Waxahatchee Creek is a tributary of the Coosa River, which starts in northwest Georgia and flows southwest to central Alabama, where it merges with the Tallapoosa to become the Alabama River." (edited, from the à la Rob blog)

Copyright © 2015 H. Oppøyen