Lael Neale - Altogether Stranger
Lael Neale’s minimalist drone pop draws inspiration from the Transcendentalists, the alienation of modern life, and a rich array of musical influences—ranging from Dionne Warwick and John Lennon to primitive American gospel and Spacemen 3.
Her expansive new record, Altogether Stranger, was written and recorded in the early morning quiet of Los Angeles. Clocking in at just 32 minutes, the 9-song LP covers an unexpected breadth of musical and lyrical terrain—from garage rock nursery rhymes and creation myths to Motorik dance dirges and solitary Omnichord meditations.
A brilliant lyricist, Neale has a unique ability to uncover the extraordinary within the mundane, tackling themes of polarity that recur throughout her work—country vs. city, humanity vs. technology, isolation vs. society. This album is her third collaboration with producer Guy Blakeslee who helps expand the tonal palette while staying true to Neale’s commitment to the raw immediacy and hand-made intimacy of home recording.
Altogether Stranger - a stunning album filled with dreamlike reverie, Neale’s crystalline voice, and echoes of the Velvet Underground - was conceived after four years of oscillating between rural solitude and urban chaos. It finds Neale perched at the piano in a hilltop bungalow, looking down on a rare curve of Sunset Blvd. Here, in this daily ritual of writing, singing, and painting—what David Lynch referred to as “the Art Life”—she creates the space for her most adventurous work to date.
Los Angeles is not just the backdrop of Altogether Stranger but a lead character. The album’s accompanying film - created with Neale's faithful Sony Handycam - builds on her ongoing series of videos, telling the story of Neale as an alien in a suit of mirrors stranded on Earth. Wandering through modern-day LA, she finds both absurdity and beauty in our fragile, untenable way of life.
Altogether Stranger represents an ambitious breakthrough for this singular, self-sufficient artist.
Available on on limited 'Loser Edition' Lavender coloured vinyl & CD.
Tracklist:
01. Wild Waters
02. All Good Things Will Come To Pass
03. Down On The Freeway
04. Sleep Through The Long Night
05. Come On
06. Tell Me How To Be Here
07. New Age
08. All Is Never Lost
09. There From Here
Lael Neale’s minimalist drone pop draws inspiration from the Transcendentalists, the alienation of modern life, and a rich array of musical influences—ranging from Dionne Warwick and John Lennon to primitive American gospel and Spacemen 3.
Her expansive new record, Altogether Stranger, was written and recorded in the early morning quiet of Los Angeles. Clocking in at just 32 minutes, the 9-song LP covers an unexpected breadth of musical and lyrical terrain—from garage rock nursery rhymes and creation myths to Motorik dance dirges and solitary Omnichord meditations.
A brilliant lyricist, Neale has a unique ability to uncover the extraordinary within the mundane, tackling themes of polarity that recur throughout her work—country vs. city, humanity vs. technology, isolation vs. society. This album is her third collaboration with producer Guy Blakeslee who helps expand the tonal palette while staying true to Neale’s commitment to the raw immediacy and hand-made intimacy of home recording.
Altogether Stranger - a stunning album filled with dreamlike reverie, Neale’s crystalline voice, and echoes of the Velvet Underground - was conceived after four years of oscillating between rural solitude and urban chaos. It finds Neale perched at the piano in a hilltop bungalow, looking down on a rare curve of Sunset Blvd. Here, in this daily ritual of writing, singing, and painting—what David Lynch referred to as “the Art Life”—she creates the space for her most adventurous work to date.
Los Angeles is not just the backdrop of Altogether Stranger but a lead character. The album’s accompanying film - created with Neale's faithful Sony Handycam - builds on her ongoing series of videos, telling the story of Neale as an alien in a suit of mirrors stranded on Earth. Wandering through modern-day LA, she finds both absurdity and beauty in our fragile, untenable way of life.
Altogether Stranger represents an ambitious breakthrough for this singular, self-sufficient artist.
Available on on limited 'Loser Edition' Lavender coloured vinyl & CD.
Tracklist:
01. Wild Waters
02. All Good Things Will Come To Pass
03. Down On The Freeway
04. Sleep Through The Long Night
05. Come On
06. Tell Me How To Be Here
07. New Age
08. All Is Never Lost
09. There From Here
Info columns
PRE-ORDERS
Flying Nun only debits your account for a pre-order when it has actually landed in our store. We believe this is fair because supply can often be unreliable - availability and release dates frequently change without notice. Pre-order with Flying Nun and you can cancel any time prior to the product arriving at our store.
OUT OF STOCK ITEMS
Flying Nun only make products available to purchase on our website when they are actually physically held at the store (except pre-orders). Vinyl availability from all local and international suppliers changes on a daily/hourly basis. Therefore, it is not possible to guarantee an online order for many items not currently held in stock.
SHIPPING
Flying Nun offers free shipping in Aotearoa New Zealand on orders over $80. We have record stores in both Auckland and Wellington and will ship your record from whichever store is nearest. We aim to pack send your order next business day. Pick ups are also available from both stores.