Music
Press
This band has no press
Discography
“Child of Rhyme”, released in November 2008,
On this album, Asetha includes songs that celebrate the love that she has experienced and witnessed in the world.
Some are ‘relationship songs’:
“Pixie” tells the tale of drunken lovers waltzing carelessly through life together, in 3/4 time, of course.
In “Walk On”, Asetha deftly describes an older man she calls Minx, his philosophies on life, and their adoration for one another. While “Line by Line” mimics the madness of misguided fancies.
Others are about family:
“Lullabies and Training Wheels” is a lullaby that Asetha imagined her mother could have written to her and that Asetha hopes to sing to her own baby girl one day.
“Trucking Along” is about Asetha’s feelings of being astray as she sings of her longing “to live alongside my family’s front door”.
“Sorry Tears” is an a capella song that reveals her feelings about family life, as seen through the eyes of her younger self.
These are about taking care of ourselves:
“Ease Back Little Horsie” is a bit of a pep talk about slowing life down and finding your true calling.
“Streaming Down” is a song about an abusive relationship that Asetha walked away from in order to save her soul. She decided that an electric guitar solo was necessary to convey the extent of the misery involved.
Others are about the human spirit*:
“Sally” is about a mother who finds the courage to leave an abusive relationship with her young children.
“Under the Bridge” is about the impact of government policies on the individual and is meant to honor the community groups that work to help those people that are experiencing homelessness.
“Lemon Lime” is about a young girl moving on from the sexual abuse she experienced as a child.
*Each of these songs is featured on The Homeless Hub (Canadian) (www.homelesshub.ca) and The Homelessness Resource Center (US) which are websites that bring together researchers, community groups, government representatives and advocates in order to share best practises and find ways of preventing and addressing homelessness.
Photos
Bio
DEBUT ALBUM – “CHILD OF RHYME”
On her debut album, “Child of Rhyme”, Asetha (ah-sea-thaw) delivers beautifully original songs steeped in carefully crafted lyrics, playful melodies, and soul-stitched vocals. The result is a roots-based album with clear connections to folk, rock, country, pop and lullaby. This album has a child-like charm that is grounded and bold. Asetha’s voice, with an angelic quality most often compare to that of Alison Krauss, is spun with gold.
The charm of the east coast is quietly evident in such lyrics as “You were high on Jam Jams when you took my hand” and “Bronze the happy years; Mother singing Sonny’s Dream”. Having grown up in Newfoundland, where music is in the blood, Asetha has been making music and writing her entire life. She spent her pre-school days singing along to her parents’ albums on her treasured Winnie the Pooh record player, complete with microphone.
Newfoundlanders have thoroughly embraced Asetha’s music. Eight of the eleven songs on her debut album receive considerable and sustained airplay on CBC St. John’s and This is Newfoundland. Additionally, Asetha has been interviewed by local radio arts programs such as “Liner Notes” with Angela Antle and “In the Spotlight” with Donna Randell. Asetha is without a doubt proud Newfoundlander and distinctly spirited crafter and performer of songs.
Upon receiving a 2006 F.A.C.T.O.R. grant, Asetha began working with Jason LaPrade – a Toronto-based producer, sound engineer and musician (dobro, lap steel, acoustic and electric guitar, banjo) - to capture her original songs. LaPrade exquisitely fashioned each song with the help of Murray Foster (Great Big Sea, Moxy Früvous) on bass, Adam Warner (White Cowbell Oklahoma) on percussion, Rosemary Phelan with backing vocals and Tessa Lewis on fiddle.
Asetha could not be more humbled by the timelessness and beauty of each song and the musicianship, shared passion, and vision with which her debut album was achieved. She is forever grateful to the talented musicians, bright souls and gorgeous hearts that contributed to and inspired “Child of Rhyme”.
INSPIRATION FOR “CHILD OF RHYME”
Asetha wrote and recorded “Child of Rhyme” while living in Ottawa and Toronto and working as a research analyst for various federal government initiatives, including as lead writer for The Homeless Hub (www.homelesshub.ca), on issues related to housing instability and homelessness. The emotional toll of her work, and her own homesickness, inspired Asetha to write songs that would create awareness of the kinds of issues that contribute to homelessness and help to heal her own heart.
Throughout her twenties, Asetha was heavily involved in the music scene. For many years, she performed at venues throughout Ottawa and Toronto as a singer/songwriter, including at Hugh’s Room, the NOW Lounge, Free Times Cafe and The Elbowroom. She spent years honing her writing and performance abilities through hard work, patience and affiliations with SOCAN, the NSAI, Songwriters Unite, the OCFF, the ECMA, MusicNL and WANL. As well, on evenings and weekends, she and her husband Kris would record her songs at home, preparing for when the opportunity to record professionally presented itself, as it did with the F.A.C.T.O.R. grant.
While recording the album, Asetha experienced a personal health crisis - a flare-up of a previously diagnosed chronic pain condition called Fibromyalgia - that forced her to step away from working, recording, and performing. “Child of Rhyme”, although it was mostly written before Asetha’s health crumbled, conveys the universal precariousness of life, the inner strength we all have to carry on, and the simple importance of taking care of ourselves and each other. It was as if the album was a prediction of what was to come and a celebration of the fortitude that would be Asetha’s saving grace.
Links
