When I read about how this collection of songs was recorded at home for private circulation and was only commercially released 30 years later, I imagined that Sibylle Baier would be some humble un-schooled American farmer`s wife. In fact, before devoting herself to raising a family in the US, Sibylle Baier was an accomplished German actress who worked with Wim Wenders, and her lyrics, though full of simple images, are literary and sophisticated. There are quotes from T.S.Eliot and lines that could`ve come from Sylvia Plath; “Myself in that painful February mood”.
Not that you need a lot of literary baggage to enjoy this album; it`s difficult not to be won over by her seductive, soothing whisper, which I found to be unshakably reminiscent of Nick Drake. If you imagine Nick Drake as a woman – which for some disturbing reason is not that difficult to do – you`ll have an idea of how charming this album is. A silky voice, skilled acoustic guitar playing, and a gentle touch of strings produce a sound that at times is almost too intimate. When SB sings, “Talk to me. Let us have our baby” or “We had a change of the moon tonight” it`s easy to feel like an eavesdropper to someone else`s romance – and that, despite all the love songs that have ever been written, is an exceptional sensation to get from an album.
So, thanks to fazstp for bringing Colour Green to the album club. It gets an excellent from me and, not to labour the point, anyone who likes ND should really check it out too.
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