There’s something intriguing about Rachael Yamagata. On one level, with lyrics that are at turns cryptic and starkly confessional, she reflects qualities consistent with that of an archetypical singer/songwriter. On another, she’s got a bold streak, and in her songs she increasingly challenges herself to find new ways to broaden the scope of her musical expression.
On her third full-length album to date, Chesapeake (scheduled for release on October 11), Yamagata continues to exhibit and explore these two strands of her artistry. It's the follow-up to her ambitious 2008 double-LP, Elephants…Teeth Sinking Into Heart, on which she expanded upon the often-sullen, piano-based template of her 2004 solo debut, Happenstance, to embrace richer textures and — by introducing her own experiments on the electric guitar to her sound — an unmistakable edge.
With Chesapeake she branches out even further, drawing on elements of rock and jazz, in particular, while maintaining an integral if not altogether dominant presence on the piano. One of the album's most brazen tracks, "Starlight," is available now as a free download.
Yamagata will embark on an extensive tour in support of the new album, beginning on October 24 in Portland. A full itinerary is listed below.
Download: "Starlight"
October:
24th Portland, ME Port City Music Hall
25th Burlington, VT Higher Ground Lodge
27th Ithaca, NY Deliah’s
28th Northampton, MA Iron Horse
30th Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall
31st Philadelphia, PA World Café Live
November:
1st Washington, DC Birchmere
2nd Baltimore, MD Sound Stage
4th Brooklyn, NY Knitting Factory
5th Pittsburgh, PA Club Café
6th Cleveland, OH
7th Detroit, MI St Andrews Hall
8th Chicago, IL Logan Square
10th Milwaukee, WI Turner Ballroom
11th Minneapolis, MN Fine Line
12th Davenport, IA Redstone Room
14th Kansas City, KS Record Bar
16th Denver, CO Larimer Lounge
18th Salt Lake City, UT State Room
20th Spokane, WA A Club
21st Vancouver, BC Media Club
22nd Seattle, WA Crocodile
23rd Portland, OR Doug Fir
25th San Francisco, CA Slim’s
26th Santa Barbara, CA Soho Restaurant & Music Club
28th San Diego, CA Casbah
29th Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
30th Tuscon, AZ Crescent Ballroom
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