Illinois songwriter Andrea Dawn wears her piano pop proclivities for all to see. Her earnestly emotional lyrics and deceptively simple compositions belie the weight of the often grave, though ultimately hopeful, narratives found within her music–especially on her latest album, Theories of How We Can Be Friends, which was released last year on Waterloo Sunset Records. And so Dawn is no timid, sheltered character within her own songs. Singing as though she’s the last defense against the encroaching darkness, Dawn places herself and her piano between us and whatever is slowly circling in the shadows. And by sheer (musical) force of will and with a voice that seems to shatter the gloom surrounding us, she leads those willing to listen out of whatever physical or emotional malaise within which they find themselves caught.
Dawn has just released the video for “Spell It Out,” a particularly emotional and affecting cut from Theories. Gathering together a group of over 50 musicians from across the country, the video has each person or group espousing some phrase or idea that holds a special place in their hearts. From ideas such “Legalize Love” and “Don’t Judge, Just Love” to less serious–though no less important–ideas like “The Floor Is Lava” and “Phantasm Is The Best Movie Ever,” the video is a love letter to the abilities of the human spirit. With Dawn’s confident piano and rafter-raising vocals mixing with the surprisingly dense orchestral strings and casually effective percussion, the instruments wind around each other in a ascending spiral, carrying us along in the updraft.
Beats Per Minute is pleased to premiere the video for “Spell It Out,” from Andrea Dawn’s recent album, Theories Of How We Can Be Friends.
