Linda Perhacs - The Soul of All Natural Things

It’s unlikely that any music awards ceremony dishes out a trophy in acknowledgement of the longest gap between albums. Should such an accolade exist, Linda Perhacs would have little serious competition in claiming it.

The 44-year gap between 1970 debut Parallelograms and The Soul of All Natural Things is indicative of Perhacs’ somewhat less than steely-eyed determination to pursue a career in music. Recorded almost accidentally after Perhacs lucked into access to a recording studio, Parallelograms – the album’s sound muffled by imperfect mastering – was released on a tiny label and promptly sank without a trace. Having never performed live, Perhacs returned to her day job as a dental hygienist in Los Angeles.

Parallelogram’s New Age-scented wide-eyed wonder at the mysteries of nature and the universe may have been somewhat out of step with the soul-baring full disclosure that ruled supreme in the singer-songwriter domain in the early 70’s, but the initially ignored album went on to build a formidable status as a cult classic and influence on the likes of Sufjan Stevens (whose Asthmatic Kitty label this long-overdue follow-up appears on) and Devendra Banhart (whose 2007 album Smokey Rolls Down the Canyon Perhacs guested on). What’s more, Parallelogram’s reissue in 2003 confirmed that the album’s formidable reputation wasn’t built on its impossible obscurity alone: this truly was – and is – a genuinely remarkable piece of sumptuously arranged psychedelic folk, with stunning, ambitious vocal arrangements that have stood the test of time even if some of the album’s age-of-Aquarius sentiments now sound a bit musty. Perhacs’ legend grew, and so did a calling for a follow-up.

Considering the marathon-length silence since Perhacs last saw the insides of a recording facility, it’s remarkable how little has changed. Granted, The Soul of All Natural Things sounds unmistakably modern: you can almost hear the ticking of the hard drive on the few electronically ornamented tracks. Also, instead of soaring on its multi-tracked lonesome, Perhacs’ voice – perhaps to address the inevitable scale-limiting impact of the past four decades – is here bolstered by the harmonies of Julia Holter and of Ramona Gonzales of Nite Jewel. However, the song really has remained the same: Perhacs is still preoccupied with the same concerns that fired up Parallelograms, with some added protest – so soft-spoken you’ll have to listen up to notice – at the soul-crunching demands of modern life.

When the material and the arrangements work harmoniously, the results are breath-taking. The blissful, unhurried glide of “Freely” isn’t far off from hitting the celestial heights of Parallelograms highpoint “Chimacum Rain”: it’s doubtful there’ll be a more uncomplicatedly beautiful piece of music out this year. The melodically rich “River of God” also impresses, whilst the gentle likes of “Children” – a finger-picking ode to general laidback-ness that could have been discovered in time capsule sealed in 1970 – excel in heart-warming sweetness without resorting to tooth-rotting lashings of syrup. Unfortunately, attempts to update and widen Perhacs’ musical palette aren’t as convincing. The electronic touches that pop up on some of tracks sound strangely dated, whilst the unconvincing flamenco-hued coda on the otherwise graceful title track seem totally misplaced.

Normally, milking the same idea over and over again inevitably leads to an acute case of diminishing returns. In Perhacs’ case, the old tricks are by far the best: the closer Perhacs stays to her original organic vision, the better The Soul of All Natural Things sounds.