Tracy Chow - Postcards From a Dying Dream (Self Release)

*** This blog post first appeared in TSMM's May 7th Newsletter, where you can get all the tips (and more) first ***

Ambient Americana has been around for a while, and about five years ago it had a moment in the sun. Eyes opened I jumped on board the bandwagon, releasing two well received LPs from UK cosmic cowboy, The Howard Hughes Suite. Somewhat unfortunately the scene was, and in fact aways has been, a particular male domain, so it’s great to see one woman band and producer Tracy Chow taking a stand for DEI and nudging the boys aside.

Full disclosure I should also mention that Tracy recorded a track for TSMM’s Future Folk compilation, but don’t let that distract you. She’s had a nice line in ambient Americana for the last ten years, with numerous EPs and albums exploring the genre, at the same time as forming and fronting Once Great Estate who plough a more traditional Southern Americana furrow. She’s living the Americana dream.

This new EP is a timely elegy to the country of her birth: “America the beautiful. It was a great idea. It was a noble effort. It was nice while it lasted. But we couldn’t hold on to it. We just let it slip away.”, a sentiment that plenty of her fellow Americans and democracy loving citizens around the world can relate to, and although she leaves her songbook at home these melancholic tunes speak their own truths.

“Wishful Thinking” starts with rumbling machine noise before a slow funeral march propels the mournful synths/slide guitar onwards, whilst contemplative finger picking muses on what could have been if a woman of colour was leading the country rather than the old, white, autocratically inclined, sex offending, post-truth encouraging criminal currently in charge. Not that I’m bitter or anything.

“Rhyme or Reason” then uses simple guitar refrains and minor progressions to shine light in the ambient shadows that rumble in the distance. “But Science” pulses with understated kosmische promise as her minimal guitar argues patiently but insistently for measles vaccinations and advises again drinking bleach if stricken with covid.

“Who’s Flying This Plane” sees her stretching out on guitar in more recognisable, albeit echo saturated Americana style, aided by some low key percussion and wordless yet soulful vocal concerns. “Tethered” signals the end is near with it’s slide work and minimal picking offering a somewhat shellshocked reaction to the president’s axe wielding approach to his first hundred days in office, before “Run, Greenland” sends out an eery, unsettling warning to the mineral rich neighbours of America that democracy, decency and diplomacy are things of the past.

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Playlist Companion

Find Chow in suitably horizontal company over at the Slow Ambient Playlist.