Carmen & Lizzy – Dissolving
For the better part of a decade, Buffalo folk-duo Carmen & Lizzy have quietly woven themselves into the fabric of Buffalo’s music scene, having built a following with their heart-on-your-sleeve songwriting, finely-tuned vocal harmonies, and a sound that blends folk intimacy with indie sensibilities. Now a recognized force, the duo–made up of cousins Carmen O’Keefe and Lizzy Bassler–has just released Dissolving, their first substantial offering of new music in over 5 years. This 6-song EP finds the duo gently pushing the boundaries of their established folk aesthetic for a sound that matures alongside their songwriting and keeps the mystifying qualities that put them on Buffalo’s map. Dissolving is our album of the week.
Dissolving widens the scope of Carmen & Lizzy’s discography. While their earlier work, like the 2019 full-length Climate, leaned into a starry-eyed folksy vulnerability, the new EP is a bit more enigmatic and exhibits growth in arrangement, production, and songwriting. The duo has shed some of the more traditional folk elements, such as the banjo found on previous recordings, in favor of a more expansive sonic palette. This isn’t to say they’ve abandoned their roots entirely, but rather that they are thoughtfully incorporating new textures and ideas, hinting at a refusal to stagnate creatively. This evolution is aided by familiar collaborators Mike and Jon Fridmann of Tarbox Road Studios, brothers who have engineered for the duo since their 2017 inception, and Rafi Bloomberg of Bloomberg Audio, whose production influence on song “Saving You” elevates the track. The inclusion of Rochester’s favorite harpist Mikaela Davis on “Strangers” is also a noteworthy cameo.
The EP opens with gentle waltz “See You,” a track that will feel familiar to fans who have waited patiently for this EP. Lizzy’s delicate vocals, accompanied by acoustic guitar and piano, set the EP’s tender tone. “Strangers” follows, showcasing the aforementioned harp work of Mikaela Davis, building to a dynamic, full-band arrangement that puts the duo’s trademark swirling vocal harmonies front and center. “Saving You” conjures the quiet/loud dynamics of contemporaries Now, Now and Boygenius, revealing a previously unheard side of Carmen & Lizzy, thanks in part to instrumentation contributions from Bloomberg. Aptly-titled “Rest” offers a moment of sparseness, punctuated by a moving horn section played by Jon Fridmann, while “When It Ends,” sung primarily by Carmen, is a powerful exploration of a relationship’s demise. The EP closes with title track “Dissolving,” which begins as a return to their folk form before blossoming into a lush culmination of the textures explored throughout the record.
Thematically, Dissolving explores the familiar territory of love, loss, and longing with a quiet intensity that’s markedly relatable. Carmen & Lizzy’s vocal work, whether intertwined in their signature harmonies or taking center stage individually, has a unique quality that amplifies their impassioned songwriting beyond the vocal booth.
All told, Dissolving retains the brilliant emotional core that has helped Carmen & Lizzy amass their healthy WNY following, but does so in a way that proves the duo isn’t afraid to color outside the lines a bit. The EP isn’t a jarring reinvention, but rather a confident stride forward, one that both existing fans and newcomers will find rewarding to dig into. Dissolving is out now via Nonexistant Records, streaming on all major platforms.
Categorised in: Album of the Week
This post was written by Ronald Walczyk