There’s something instantly familiar about Lucy Schwartz. You’ve heard her voice on the soundtracks to a few recent movies, such asThe Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Shrek Forever After, and The Women — not to mention TV shows like Arrested Development(for which her dad David Schwartz composed the soundtrack), House of Lies, and Grey’s Anatomy. But it’s more than simple mainstream saturation. Her gossamer pop aesthetic lends itself to the recollection of vague memories of comfortable evenings with friends, and her airy yet firm voice expresses heartache and independence in equal measure without succumbing to rote sentimentality. On her latest album,Timekeeper (out now via Fortunate Fool Records), Schwartz blends the pop exuberance of The Weepies with the heart-on-sleeve attitude of The Belle Brigade to form a series of songs that are immediately accessible but which reveal themselves to be far more richly detailed on repeated listens.
Recently, Schwartz and her backing band – including a brass section – took to No Vacancy (a Victorian house built in 1902 which was remodeled into a music venue) to record a video for her recent single, “Boomerang.” Taking place during a masquerade ball, the video focuses on the simplicity and emotional relevancy of the song, while still allowing it to expand as each rhythm is introduced. The song reaches a pop churn when the brass section dips in with calculated bellows and moans and creates a cushion for Schwartz’s voice. The effortless way in which she intertwines herself within the music is itself a marvel, as the music breathes in and out giving her access to the heart of the song during these rhythmic exhalations. The venue and event provides the perfect off-kilter atmosphere within which the song can flourish.
Beats Per Minute is pleased to premiere the live performance video of Lucy Schwartz’s “Boomerang.”
