Anderson returns to violin playing on this plainspoken set, co-produced with Hal Willner. Guests include Lou Reed, Van Dyke Parks, and Dr. John. Rolling Stones says “the overall tone is sparse, haunted, intimate ... Laurie Anderson is a singer-songwriter of crushing poignance.”
Life on a String, Laurie Anderson's Nonesuch Records debut, was released in August 2001 and was her first recording of new music since Bright Red in 1994. Anderson, certainly the most heralded multimedia artist of her generation, has an extensive discography that ranges from her 1981 debut single "O Superman" to the 4-CD document of her legendary staged work United States Live (1984) and her spoken word collection The Ugly One With the Jewels and Other Stories (1995). With Life on a String, she turned her view inward, creating the most personal recording of her career.
Musically, Life on a String’s intensity is heightened by its spare sound. It draws both on the emotive power of strings—Anderson plays violin on a record for the first time since her debut Big Science—and the rich variety of rhythmic beds she has created. Among her compositions is a rare instrumental ("Here with You "). The album, which Anderson co-produced with Hal Willner (Marianne Faithful, Lou Reed), includes guest appearances by musicians Bill Frisell, Dr. John, Lou Reed, and Van Dyke Parks, among others.
Laurie Anderson, in describing her lyrical approach to the album, said, "I tried to make the language plain and observational. I tried to be simple. Just to say what I saw. It is dark. But I’m glad about that, because there are plenty of cheerful songs around."
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Hal Willner and Laurie Anderson
Music Director: Skúli Sverrisson
Recorded at The Lobby, New York City
Engineered by Martin Brumbach
Additional recording at The Magic Shop and Edison Recording; New York City
Additional engineering by Laurie Anderson, Dante DeSole, Bob Brockman and Josiah Gluck
Mixed at NuMedia, New York City by Bob Brockman
Additional mixing at The Magic Shop, New York City
“Statue of Liberty” and "The Island Where I Come From" mixed by Martin Brumbach
Mastered by Robert C. Ludwig at Gateway Mastering Studios, Portland, ME
Mocean Worker appears courtesy of Palm Pictures
Lou Reed appears courtesy of Reprise Records
Vinicius Cantuaria appears courtesy of Transparent Music
All compositions by Laurie Anderson and published by Difficult Music (BMI), except “My Compensation,” lyrics by Laurie Anderson and music by Laurie Anderson and Skúli Sverrisson.
Design by Barbara deWilde
Executive Producer: David Bither
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MUSICIANS
Laurie Anderson, vocal, keyboards (1, 3, 5, 9, 10, 12), violin (4, 9, 10, 12), gongs (10), percussion (12)
Tom Nelis, vocal (1)
John Kelly, background vocal (1)
Joey Baron, percussion (1, 5, 8, 9)
Chris Speed, saxophone (2)
Cuong Vu, trumpet (2)
Skúli Sverrisson, bass (2-5, 8-12), high bass (8), little organ (2), percussion programming (6), sounds (10, 11), bowed guitars (12), keyboards (12)
David Torn, open loop (2)
Greg Cohen, acoustic bass (2)
Danny Frankel, percussion, hand claps (2), “box-o-toys” (11)
Mino Cinelu, percussion (2)
Eyvind Kang, violin (3)
Eric Friedlander, cello (3-5, 10, 11)
Mitchell Froom, keyboards (3), Claviola (3), Mellotron (3, 8, 11), Wurlitzer (8)
Liheng, baritone banhu (5)
Peter Scherer, keyboards (5, 8, 12), percussion (5)
Jamshied Sharifi, additional keyboards strings (5)
Hal Willner, turntables (6), samples (6, 7)
Van Dyke Parks, string arrangements, conductor, keyboards (7)
Bill Frisell, guitar (9)
Ben Rubin, bells (9)
Mocean Worker, beats, keyboards (11)
Lou Reed, guitar (11)
Martin Brumbach, percussion arrangement (11)
Vinicius Cantuaria, percussion (12)
Also on track 7:
Violin: Ann Leathers, Carol Webb, Jan Mullen, Jonathan Dinklage, Ricky Sortomme, Joel Pitchon, Ellen Payne, Barry Finclair, Enrico DiCecco, Heidi Modr, Jean Ingram
Viola: Sue Pray, Karen Dreyfus, Vincent Lionti, Judith Wilmer
Cello: Fredrick Zlotkin Jeanne LeBlanc
Bass: Timothy Cobb
Orchestra contractor: Jill Dell’Abate
Concert master: Elena Barere
Copyist: Dwight Mikkelsen
