Influences: A.O. Gerber

A.O. Gerber has never sought to stand still. An artist in perpetual movement, her gorgeous 2020 album ‘Another Place To Need’ melded together personal revelation and baroque flourishes, a lush, revelatory song cycle that won huge acclaim.

That record took A.O. Gerber some three years to complete, assembling a huge range of collaborators in the process. New album ‘Meet Me At The Gloaming’ finds the songwriter working with alacrity, stripping back her sound to seize upon fresh emotional revelation.

A.O. Gerber returns to her upbringing, revealing that her mother – under the gaze of a spiritual teacher – uprooted the lives of their family, moving from Northern California to Southern Oregon. What emerges isn’t judgemental, however, and the results are driven by a sense of empathy, and a desire to understand.

Produced alongside long-time cohort Madeline Kenney, ‘Meet me At The Gloaming’ is an insightful, beautifully rendered experience. Here, A.O. Gerber picks apart some of the influences that prompted her latest work…

—

Chassol – ‘Kids Tapestry’

I discovered Chassol in late 2020 when he released this incredible Christmas EP and only then discovered that he’d contributed to one of my favourite records, Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’, among many other things. I love the way his compositions are both restrained and complex.

The first time I heard this song in particular, I knew it would be a reference for years to come. It’s both austere and lush and unfolds in such an organic way despite feeling really peculiar and particular to his voice.

I love the unexpected way the chorus enters and splinters off. These sort of instincts and juxtapositions are things I’m always trying to find space for in my music.

—

Ordinary Talk – Half Waif

Half Waif’s album ‘The Caretaker’ pretty much got me through the earliest part of the pandemic. I walked and ran the winding hills near my house listening to these songs and reveling in theirthoughtful production and lyrics. I feel like often some of the most interestingly produced music falters lyrically and music that is really lyrically potent sometimes lacks production intrigue for me. I love music that tries to do it all, and Half Waif’s music, in particular this song, is so emblematic of that.

—

Vanishing Twin – Blake Mills

Blake is such an LA legend and I’ve always really respected his work, but it wasn’t until his album ‘Mutable Set’, and particularly this song, that I became a true super fan. I feel like this song is such a wonderful example of less-is-more production and how absorbing even a simple song can be when you approach production with curiosity and playfulness. Listening to this is like watching something be carved from stone. It’s so precise and meticulous. Every instrument has its place and purpose. Nothing is superfluous.

—

Westerman – ‘Confirmation‘

I wrote ‘Looking For The Right Things’ in 2017 and had originally intended it to be on my first record ‘Another Place To Need’, but we never could get the production right. But I really loved the song and had so much belief in it working so I kept trying. I probably have about five versions of it between demos and actual attempts. The thing I struggled with most is that it’s a pop song, but it’s actually kind of slow and small. I didn’t want it to be too big or flashy.

When I heard this song by Westerman in 2020 I immediately became obsessed and then quickly realised it was the perfect reference track for LFRT. It’s simultaneously such a bop but also so restrained. It created a blueprint for me of how to do that well.

—

Arthur Russell – ‘Lucky Cloud‘

Good ol’ Arthur will never not be a reference for me. The original king of restrained and meticulous weirdness. I love how minimal this song remains throughout, but how compelling it is because of how thoughtful every moment is within it. The interplay of instrumentation and his melody is so delightful in its simplicity.

I constantly think about this song when I want to remind myself that you don’t have to do a lot to make something interesting, that often knowing what not to do is the most challenging and important part.

—

‘Meet Me At The Gloaming’ is out now.