Every so often a new artist comes along, bites you on the ear and piques your musical interest. Portland, Oregon’s Alexandra Savior did just that with her debut single ‘Shades‘ just last month.
For months Ms. Savior was the golden secret of myself and just a handful of others who had stumbled across her name quietly logged alongside Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner in the writing credits of a rather stunning track titled ‘Risk‘, penned for True Detective’s series two soundtrack last year. Although that said, it was profusely clear, once an artist with the ear for such varied, sensual tones and quirky melodies as Savior flew the secretive nest, the stars would be the next destination.
Soon the secret was out, a further dusky collaboration with Cam Avery of Tame Impala and an invitation to support Turner’s vastly popular Last Shadow Puppets project on their American tour sugar-coated that and things were picking up pace. Videos appeared online of a few tracks from Savior’s live set whilst on tour, the standouts being a quintet under the names Audeline, Vanishing Point, Frankie, Bones and Mirage. Each further showcasing her now undoubted ability to team slinky vocal exuberance, quirky lyrics and lush melodies together, whilst the latter would also make an absolutely killer Bond theme, Sam Smith eat your heart out mate.
It only gets better too. There’s an album, under the working title Strange Portrait, featuring tracks, (including those listed above) penned alongside Turner, during writing sessions that saw Savior co-write Miracle Aligner from the recent Last Shadow Puppets LP Everything You’ve Come To Expect. Turner’s also on production duties with his old mate James Ford of Last Shadow Puppets fame. There’s no way this can go wrong, honestly.
If you need a further nudge, delve into the album’s smokey lead single Shades below. Smoldering vocal confidence lushly painted over a wavy bass-line, canned Kills-esque beats and scuzzy, reverbed electric guitar lines. Charmingly lovely, relatable lyrics too.
Right now there’s no release date for the album or any UK tour dates announced but Ms. Alexandra Savior is a young artist to get very excited about, a true gem, in every sense of the word.
You’ve just witnessed the birth of a star before your very eyes, drink it in. She’s going to steal your heart.
We Close Tonight 