Appreciating Emmalee Hunnicutt's Picnic, Moonside does not require a gingham blanket, wicker basket, or headlamp. You don't have to worry about what vegan side to bring or if your DEET candles might harm more than just mosquitoes. Nope! All you need for this picnic is a deep gratitude for the Earth's beauty, the soil's bounty, and nature's mysteries.
Picnic, Moonside is a love letter composed by Emmalee Hunnicutt to the world around her, but instead of settling on the traditional pen and paper approach, Hunnicutt opts to use cello and voice to craft this note. On the Joy of Eating Beets opens the album, and was an immediate favorite of DC's after just one listen. The lyrics connect our own hearts to blood-red beets in the ground (this close tie with nature is present throughout the album), and Hunnicutt's smeared cello drops into plucks before she blends the two underneath rounded vocals. It's an absolutely stunning track, and maybe the first time a song has inspired a dinner (it's true: a roasted beet salad later that evening). Vespertine opens side B, and this lead single is another highlight. Hunnicutt's avant-folk cello tones smear as she sings about moths pollinating Datura blooms by night. Ah, there's the moonside picnic! Later, Sun, Salt, Sea briefly strays beyond Hunnicutt's Appalachian home, but beautiful closer Unbroken Eye takes us right back.
This preview piece is a bit early, as Picnic, Moonside won't be released in full until July 30th via Dear Life Records. But you can find it for preorder through this Bandcamp link, or make a note to yourself to revisit this post when the time comes. It's a truly gorgeous album - one you most certainly won't want to miss.
*DC is taking a short midsummer break, and we'll be back in early August. Cheers, y'all!