Stephanie Seymour’s album, There Are Birds, is all about her love of birds and nature and how she sees these relate to her own life. The album was produced by Bob Perry and mixed by Seymour and Perry. The album art was designed by Megan Massa. The CD case is a four-panel eco wallet and a 12-page booklet about the album.
The inspiration for the album came from Seymour’s love of birdwatching, which came about when she moved from NYC to New Jersey in 2004. The songs came about from real-life interactions with birds.
The balance of the different layers of the music is well done. The background vocals add to the feeling of the birds and the instruments never outpower the various vocal layers. Each song uses different instruments to create various sounds and styles.
Although the songs are about birds, they also have a deeper meaning behind them. For example, “Veery” mentions that someone is only passing through so they have a limited time together. In “Northern Mockingbird,” the song talks about the singer repeating herself because the other person does not listen to her and she wants to be heard. These added layers make the songs that much more deep and realistic while connecting the listener to nature.
The songs all represent different birds, and as such, each song is unique. From rock to jazz and more, there is something for everyone. At the same time, the songs keep to the style of Seymour. It is fun to see how she incorporates the birds into talking about things that happen in everyday life, even if people never interact with the birds.
The album is definitely unique in its approach to using birds to relate to real-life situations. Each song is unique and is catchy, making each narrative memorable and highlighting the differences of each bird.
Rating: One that the songbirds will be singing to!
