The Innocence Mission - My Room in the Trees

It's not really signficant that we fell in love with The Innocence Mission and Karen Peris' gorgeously breathy, child-like vocals many moons ago. Together with husband Mike, the Peris' band was like a breath of fresh air in the late 80's and early 90's, a welcome delicate, natural antidote to the syn-drummed pop and creepy "adult contemporary" slickness of the time -- and we weren't alone in cozying up to their meticulous songcraft and warm, hazy sound. What is significant is that the Peris' have persevered for twenty years -- self-producing for the last ten -- and that The Innocence Mission's creative output has maintained an exceptionally high level of quality. The 2007 release We Walked in Song was one of the best-reviewed albums of their career.

Ninth album My Room in the Trees, arriving July 13 (Badman) is yet another notable achievement, thirteen understated, achingly lovely songs that waft as light as a passing cloud on a tranquil spring day. Karen's vulnerable voice, a blend of Natalie Merchant and Joanna Newsom, is truly "innocence" captured in sound, perfectly suited for the mostly acoustic instrumental backing and richer in tone and subtle inflection than ever. Lead track "The Happy Mondays" takes a simple, hymnlike melody (listen to the subtle major/minor chord progressions) and embellishes it with a comfortably fitting, gracefully wistful tone, each instrument breathing in its own space. We also love "Rain", a waltzing lullaby with Celtic/folk touches and Peris' voice embodying what one critic has described as "crystalline sadness." Highly Recommended.

Myspace   Artist Site

The Innocence Mission - "The Happy Mondays" (from the album My Room in the Trees)

The Innocence Mission - "Rain" (excerpt, from the album My Room in the Trees)