Kirstin Crowe - My Desert Time

Kirstin Crowe

​My Desert Time
self-released; 2015

3.7 out of 5

By Megan Gazzo

My Desert Time brought to us by Kirstin Crowe is a melodic acoustic album. It is bright and crisp. Her voice is soft and uplifting - almost as if it is a salve for the soul. Authentically raw guitar plucking with woody resonance guided by Kirstin’s soulful folky voice is nothing short of a treat.

The song “ Sea Salt” brings a deep emotion forth.  She pairs her own voice with another creating an uncannily beautiful chorus. The overly simplistic guitar fingerings are plenty because her voice is so rich. There is a moodiness and beauty that can be felt in each moment. In this day and age, with everything moving so fast such as technology and the Internet, it can be sometimes difficult to be mindful within moments and notice the beauty and simple things that surround us. 

This album really brings to light those moments. The song “Cold Air in Morning” speaks “ Cold air in the morning, cold air at the dawning, cold breath when you’re talking, cold eyes when they sink in.” You can feel the moments of the cold air hitting your face through her lyrics. They are soft, yet strike you in a deep sullen way. There is something about her words that just feel like you are living the moment she is with her. The song “Direct Poet” utilizes one of my personal favorite instruments - the kazoo. Something about that .99-cent instrument that you can find at most dollar stores that brings a goofiness and lightness to most any topic or moment. This song is very fun. 

Here is a formula - one amazing voice, one kazoo and one guitar = a deeply moving and connected album. Crowe’s voice is so uplifting you can almost picture birds fluttering out from underneath the cloth of her buttery vocal chords. It has a springtime magic to it that cannot be found easily.

She often reminds of me Jolie Holland.  The final track on the album  “ Live Underwater” is so vivid in her poetry /lyrics that you can feel the water moving around your skin. There is some intermittent piano in this one, which is nice. Again, quite simplistic but beautiful. Overall, I think this is a gorgeous album especially for springtime. It is flowery and gentle. Great for mending the soul or infiltrating a softness into your life that is necessary. A good reminder to slow down and notice the small things around you.

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