Album Notes

"Merlin Coleman presents a devastating confection of lilting vocals, somber strings, unruly language... reminiscent of Meredith Monk crossed with Flannery O'Connor on mushroom tea."
-S.F. Weekly

“Merlin Coleman offers a flexible piece of superimposed voices that debates between minimalism and virtuosity”
-Sergio Eletto Sands-zine, Italy

Merlin’s CD project "A Schoolhouse of Lost Teeth" is focused on songs for cello and voice which are derived from original music and text which she has been developing over the past five years. Subjects range from politics to death to childhood journeys and memories. The settings are of well-crafted image-oriented lyrics with inherent song like qualities where text weaves in and around story, poetry and surrealistic image.

The project includes a variety of guest artists as each song has it’s own unique instrumentation which, in addition to Cello and voice include piano, flute, trumpet, clarinet, Bass, accordion and musical saw. genres from Minimalism to art rock to Eastern European folk music are hinted at in a composite style of melody and close knit harmonies which slip sensually around the words.

A School House of Lost Teeth grapples with and fondles life's pains, quandaries, beauties and confusions.

ARTIST STATEMENT
The creation of my work is intuitive and primarily non-linear, leaving room for the evolution of poetic and image rich worlds. I create alternate realities where the emotional experience of a character is projected into environments presented in a timeless realm. Some of the themes within these worlds are: the juxtaposition between the techno-mechanical and the natural world and the irrational and illogical nature of human emotions. Childlike motifs and fairy tale symbols are also prevalent. The resulting work is a surreal interweaving of textures, themes and images. I use combinations of voice, cello, field recordings, black and white film projections, spoken text, elements performance art, movement and theater.