Hymns for the Exiled

Hymns for the Exiled

Hymns for the Exiled

Editorial Reviews
Rich Warren, WFMT
"Mitchell may be the best under-30 year old singer-songwriter currently performing."

Product Description
Vermont's Anais Mitchell write and sings - in English and sometimes Arabic - with redemptive energy, about the challenges of our times.

On "Hymns for the Exiled" Mitchell writes from the perspective of an Iraqi woman; an American child caught between terrifying reality and anti-terrorist rhetoric; of the cynical political use of the survivors of the Quecreek Flood; of the death of an Austin drummer, and her Grandmother's dress.

Raised by a novelist and a community organizer in rural New England, Anais Mitchell grew up listening to Dylan and the Dead, Cohen, Velvet Underground, Joni Mitchell, Ani, Dar Williams and Tori Amos. At 18, she moved to Boston, where she did time at open mikes and the Park St. T station. At twenty, she moved to Austin, where she released her debut album, "The Song They Sang When Rome Fell." The Kerrville Folk Festival honored her work with the prestigious New Folk award in 2003. She graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont in 2004 with a degree in political science. Anais has spent extensive time in Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East, studying languages (Spanish, German, and Arabic) and international politics, bringing a worldly depth to her writing - which she presents to her audience with a graceful presence of spirit.

Hymns for the Exiled

Hymns for the Exiled,Anaïs Mitchell,Waterbug Records,Folk,Folk & Traditional,Pop,Spirited, literary, political, quirky and sensual by turns.
Hymns for the Exiled
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • It may bring you to tears folks-- its that GOOD!
  • The Greatest Live Act on Earth
  • Was never the same after
  • BEST CD I OWN
  • Beautiful
 Hymns for the Exiled
Anaïs Mitchell
Manufacturer: Waterbug Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Folk | Styles | Music
Traditional FolkTraditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
Alternative FolkAlternative Folk | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
Folk RockFolk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
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  5. Impossible Dream

ASIN: B0002VGQOQ
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Tracks:

  1. Before The Eyes Of Storytelling Girls
  2. 1984
  3. Cosmic American
  4. The Belly And The Beast
  5. Orion
  6. Mockingbird
  7. I Wear Your Dress
  8. Quecreek Flood
  9. A Hymn For The Exiled
  10. Two Kids
  11. One Good Thing

Album Description

Vermont's Anais Mitchell write and sings - in English and sometimes Arabic - with redemptive energy, about the challenges of our times.

On "Hymns for the Exiled" Mitchell writes from the perspective of an Iraqi woman; an American child caught between terrifying reality and anti-terrorist rhetoric; of the cynical political use of the survivors of the Quecreek Flood; of the death of an Austin drummer, and her Grandmother's dress.

Raised by a novelist and a community organizer in rural New England, Anais Mitchell grew up listening to Dylan and the Dead, Cohen, Velvet Underground, Joni Mitchell, Ani, Dar Williams and Tori Amos. At 18, she moved to Boston, where she did time at open mikes and the Park St. T station. At twenty, she moved to Austin, where she released her debut album, "The Song They Sang When Rome Fell." The Kerrville Folk Festival honored her work with the prestigious New Folk award in 2003. She graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont in 2004 with a degree in political science. Anais has spent extensive time in Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East, studying languages (Spanish, German, and Arabic) and international politics, bringing a worldly depth to her writing - which she presents to her audience with a graceful presence of spirit.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars It may bring you to tears folks-- its that GOOD!.......2005-09-22

I saw Anais at a show in Cambridge, MA a week ago and more than one song literally moved me to tears (in the best possible way.) Tears came to my eyes because truth resonates in her lyrics.

This woman has a way of writing lyrics that are so personal, most of us are afraid to confess such feelings in our journals! Yet Anais also comments on current politics with a refreshing perspective.

The music is so delicate, meaningful and personal. The best tracks are 1, 3 & 9.

Track 1, "Before the Eyes of Storytelling Girls" is a song about an Egyptian woman, recalling her childhood and the changing times. It's clever, adapting a line from t.s. eliot's incredible poem, "The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock." She insightfully sings "The women come and go, talking on their mobile phones." Anyhow who has been to Egypt or the middle east will understand the depth of this song. She is right on the target in capturing the feeling of the modern middle east.

Track 9 is so beautiful, you will listen to it on repeat. It is the title track "Hymn for the Exiled." It seems to have something to do with God and Adam: "The word came down to him from heaven/ and naked as an animal, he knew / everything of flesh and bone/ he could call it all his own / if he could name it, he could lay claim to it, too."

Anais is an unbelievable live performer. Try to get out and see her show. She is humble and charming and talented all at the same time.

This is a CD to listen to on repeat! You will not regret purchasing it. But you will be amazed that someone with so much insight isn't even 25 year old!

5 out of 5 stars The Greatest Live Act on Earth.......2005-09-07

I saw Anais Mitchell perform in her home state of Vermont this past summer, and the show moved me to tears. I was skeptical that her newest studio release would capture what she does on stage, but for the most part, the CD does just that. Every song is a small poem. Anais' use of mixed metaphor and shades of humor here and there is so beautiful to listen to. She has a raw, real voice, and great songwriting talent. The music is political and powerful and yet she never shoves it down our throat, but always remains subtle and gentle with her statements, like singing to a lover. Way to go, Anais. I highly, highly recommend this CD to anyone who wants to listen to music that will move them to think and feel. And see her live in concert if you can.

4 out of 5 stars Was never the same after.......2005-05-25

SO I'm not a professional reviewer and have only seen her once in concert, but live she is just so delicatly voiced and with almost child-like playfullness. Her album was only good for me bc I have heard her sing the sings directly and had some residual memory from that. I like her a lot, she attaches a lot more to me as a human being than just a singer songwriter. I found some of the later songs on the album to be tedious and dragging. My favorites are Cosmic and story telling girls, and she was absolutly adorable doing 1984. Orion was just devastating (in a good way) in person bc we were fortunate to hear her explaination. Very clever. I think at times her political writing becomes too over-bearing for me. I would Four star- the first half of the ablum absolutly. The second half, I'm still working on warming up to it. She has definitly effected me and I certianly wasn't the same after that show. Give her a shot, see for yourself.

5 out of 5 stars BEST CD I OWN.......2005-04-13

I cannot stop listening to Anais's music. At first I was going to get the 4 free downloads off her site and stick with just that, but after 2 weeks I was playing them on repeat so often that I broke down and bought it. Now I just play the whole CD on repeat. My favorite song is the first one.

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful.......2005-03-14

I have been listening to this CD non-stop since it arrived in my mailbox last week. Anais Mitchell uses her beautiful voice and music to spread the truth; her lyrics tell the very personal stories of ordinary people caught in a moment of our times--miners trapped in a flooded mine, a child seeing the "bad guys" on television, and Mitchell imagining her grandmother sewing a dress. The music feels honest and heartfelt partly because it is not overly produced and polished; it feels personal and intimate, like listening to Mitchell playing songs and telling stories in her kitchen. This CD is unusual because all the songs are perfect in their poetry and sound; every word and note holds you from start to end.

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