The Ghost Who Walks

Description

Karen Elsons transformation from fashions favourite redheaded ingénue to beguiling chanteuse has been something of a slow burn. In 2003 she provided vocals for a version of Robert Plants Last Time I Saw Her and in 2006 she recorded an English language version of Je TAime Moi Non Plus (I Love You Me Neither) with Cat Power for a Serge Gainsbourg tribute album, but her main musical outlet has been as a founding member of New York City cabaret The Citizens Band, a downtown collective of musicians, performers, artists and acrobats whose lively Weimar-esque performances have enjoyed successful theatrical runs of their politically thematic shows. The 11 original compositions on The Ghost Who Walks were all written following Karen Elsons 2005 relocation from New York City to Nashville. While making her home and raising two children in the city of country music, Karen took to writing songs for The Citizens Band and found she had plenty of other melodies in her head. Her and spouse Jack White quickly put a band together: Karens cabaret cohort Rachelle Garniez on accordion and vocals, The Dead Weathers Jack Lawrence on bass, My Morning Jackets Carl Broemel on pedal steel and brother-in-law Jackson Smith on guitar. Jack White took the role of producer and provided drums. Karen added a cover of Garniezs Lunasa to the recordings and within a matter of weeks she had an albums worth of material. Two of her more theatrical tracks, 100 Years From Now and Mouths To Feed, inspired in part by author Tim Egans dust bowl saga The Worst Hard Time, were originally penned for her cabaret troupe. The rest of the album richly evokes the lonesome feel of country (Cruel Summer), the tormented side of the blues (The Truth Is In The Dirt) and the haunted stories of traditional folk balladry (Stolen Roses). Graphic artist Rob Jones took inspiration from Karens penchant for peach and black to create gorgeously smoldering album art.