Anna B Savage is building up to the release of her debut album A Common Turn in January, and with the already-released singles “Dead Pursuits” and “A Common Tern” she’s got us primed in anticipation. The excitement increases today with the revelation of another new single “Corncrake”, which again focuses emotional realisations around birds. She says:
“At this moment in my life, I was entering a seismic shift. I felt like I was getting clues from the universe, and all I needed to do to ‘work it all out’ was piece them together. These clues came in the form of birds – in this instance a corncrake. I now see the corncrake as a layout for a theme: something tangible, but imperceptible, evident but not necessarily visible.”
Although “Corncrakes” vividly depicts the mentioned seismic shift, it is a quietly brooding track – at least to begin with. With presence, musical style and lucidity of language that recalls Nick Drake, Anna B Savage immediately draws you into her turmoil, her voice as powerful as her words are vulnerable. Jumping from her rich lower register into a gliding falsetto, it’s impossible not to be captivated by the stunning “Corncrakes”, and as it reaches a more rambunctious finale she delivers the knock out blow by repeating the despondent admission “I don’t know if this is even real / I don’t feel things as keenly as I used to.”
Contrarily, “Corncrakes” is exactly the kind of song and performance that will make you feel as deeply and viscerally as you ever have.
Below you can watch the video for “Corncrakes”, created by nature producer Chris Howard (Planet Earth Live, Springwatch, Autumnwatch).
Anna B Savage’s debut album A Common Turn is coming out on January 29 2021 through City Slang. Follow Anna B Savage on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
