Marissa Nadler Shares Video for “Lemon Queen”
Following rave reviews for her new album The Path Of The Clouds, out now via Bella Union and Sacred Bones, Marissa Nadler now shares the video for “Lemon Queen” ahead of her New York City record release show at Le Poisson Rouge on November 14th.
“‘Lemon Queen’ is the name of a sunflower variety that grows as tall as 8 feet, thriving in full sun,” says Nadler. “The sunflower points its head directly towards its life force, growing tall and upright. Perennial flowers and trees watch entire generations come and go, season after season, sometimes the only constant in a sea of change. To me there’s something very beautiful about that. This song isn’t about a sunflower, of course. It’s an extremely personal and first person narrative, and the Lemon Queen is there through it all.”
The “Lemon Queen” video was directed by Eden Tijerina, features Jessica Relinda Maas Venuat, and was filmed at a 15th century estate in Umbria, Italy. “When I thought of what I might contribute to one of Marissa’s songs, I recalled all the feelings she evoked when I was a troubled teen, playing songs of hers over and over on a battle-scarred iPod,” says Tijerina. “Music was a companion I could rely on, one that provided inspiration and encouragement I couldn’t find anywhere else, as well as a running chronicle to everything I did. Now, as an adult, I realize the depth of her artistry: her uncanny knack for reaching those tender, unexamined areas in your heart you can’t seem to locate. In making this video for Marissa, I wanted to recreate the spaces I used my favourite artists to access, a world like the ones I escaped to after school, watching music videos on a computer at the library, daydreaming that one day I could learn to express myself in such a fulfilling way.”
Marissa Nadler produces these truly immersive ensembles with such a lasting impression. You become centred in the arrangement, perfectly captured with “Lemon Queen”. This intricate world engulfs you, where you become fixated with the ethereal vocal harmonies and the rich emotional current which runs amok.
Marissa Nadler brings this wealth of affection to the vision, emotion encapsulates the ethereal vocal notes and intimate lyrics which adorn this ensemble. Delicate percussion and immersive shuffles bring a complex depth to the release as the expressive ensemble engulfs the audience. As the release continues to build, layers of bold tones add this rhythmic appeal to the track.
The Path of the Clouds, Marissa Nadler’s ninth solo album, is the most stylistically adventurous, lyrically transfixing, and melodically sophisticated collection of songs in her already rich discography. Gripped by wanderlust while suddenly housebound at the start of the pandemic in 2020, Nadler escaped into writing, and came back with a stunning set of songs about metamorphosis, love, mysticism, and murder. Blurring the line between reality and fantasy and moving freely between past and present, these 11 deeply personal, self-produced songs find Nadler exploring new landscapes, both sonic and emotional.
As a songwriter, Nadler is as direct and urgent as she has ever been. There’s no coded language amid the bleak lows and exalted highs of songs like “Elegy,” “Lemon Queen,” “Storm,” and “Tried Not to Look Back.” Memories are painted with highly detailed imagery, and Nadler, also a visual artist, uses that eye not only to tell a story but to transport the listener there.
The Path of the Clouds showcases the power of an artist at the peak of her powers nearly 20 years into an acclaimed career as a songwriter and singer. Coming a long way from the spare dream folk of her earlier work, she has remained inspired and continues to evolve, open to new ideas and directions. The proof is right here, in Nadler’s most ambitious and complex album yet.
Marissa Nadler will play a record release show at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City on 14th November.
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