Maia Friedman Unveils New Single / Video 'Russian Blue'
New Album, Goodbye Long Winter Shadow,
Out May 9th via Last Gang Records
Tour Supporting Basia Bulat Kicks Off Next Week
New York musician Maia Friedman unveils a dazzling new single/video, “Russian Blue,” from her forthcoming record Goodbye Long Winter Shadow, out May 9th via Last Gang Records. “Russian Blue” unfurls with Friedman’s alluring voice and lulling percussion, and features a gorgeous duet of clarinet (Daniel Pencer) and flute (Anh Phung). The song was written in dedication to Friedman’s Russian Blue cat, her “soulmate” throughout her childhood and early 20s. She further explains “Imagine being 13 in 1999: there was a massive wave of movies and media that preached the ‘one true love,’ ‘will you find your soulmate’ concept. I was consumed by romance, and was convinced I would never find love, because I already found my soulmate in a cat. It was completely naive, but what a vulnerable time, those early teenage years.”
Preorder Goodbye Long Winter Shadow
Its lyrics are beautifully temporal and bittersweet: “Apple of my eye / I would sense you there, but you wouldn’t care / You have other things on your mind.” Friedman adds: “Cats have, at times, shown me how to live; at once entirely independent with an ‘I don’t give a fuck’ demeanor, while at the same time being sensitive enough to paw on your door when you’re crying or lay in the crook of your body when you’re sick. They take time and space for themselves and soak in pools of sunlight, two of my favorite things in life.”
Though 2022’s Under the New Light was the first album under Friedman’s own name, she has honed her sound for years as a member of both Dirty Projectors and Coco. Where her debut was built from collaborative improvisation, Goodbye Long Winter Shadow is a collection of songs in the classic sense. Intimate instrumentals punctuate its running time and emphasize the connective sonic palette of orchestral instruments, pianos and guitar. Friedman’s lyricism and writing here is timeless, tightly composed and interspersed with surprising harmonic turns. If not for the heightened quality of its recording by Philip Weinrobe (Adrianne Lenker, Florist), it might have been made decades ago; it’s Nico’s Chelsea Girl for today.
As first presented in previously-released singles “New Flowers” and “On Passing,” Goodbye Long Winter Shadow is filled with lush arrangements and sage lyricism. They carry the devotion to nature Friedman fostered growing up in California’s Sierra Nevada with a new mother’s exploration of time and transformation. Many stories of becoming are woven throughout these songs, and in them, the influence of her mother, a Jungian analyst and scholar of mythology, is felt. “She writes of artworks, dreams and myths, and draws connections between the imagery, archetypes and cultures that tell similar stories in different ways,” says Friedman. “It’s a very holistic approach to talking about and exploring mythology and fairytales.”
Goodbye Long Winter Shadow was produced by Weinrobe and Oliver Hill (Magdalena Bay, Helado Negro). The result is chamber pop abounding with melodic intimacy, a world where instruments bob and weave around the heart-stopping clarity of Friedman’s voice. Goodbye Long Winter Shadow is full of elegant evolution as Friedman, in the refinement of her craft and her new identity as a mother, finds new depths to explore. At turns it feels both fresh and like a private press record unearthed for cult listening. It marks new heights for a songwriter operating with supreme confidence.
Next week, Maia Friedman will support Basia Bulat on a North American tour. Tickets for all dates are on sale now, and a full list can be found below.
Preorder Goodbye Long Winter Shadow
Maia Friedman Tour Dates
Wed. March 19 - Boston, MA @ City Winery*
Thu. March 20 - New York, NY @ Joe’s Pub*
Fri. March 21 - Washington, DC @ Pearl Street Warehouse*
Wed. April 2 - Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music*
Thu. April 3 - Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre*
Fri. April 4 - Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center*
Sat. April 5 - Milwaukee, WI @ Vivarium*
Wed. April 30 - Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre*
Fri. May 2 - Seattle, WA @ Triple Door*
Sat. May 3 - Portland, OR @ Mission Theater*
Mon. May 5 - San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel*
Wed. May 7 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever*
*supporting Basia Bulat
