Elizabeth Fraser : Moses EP

I can’t believe that it actually took about twelve months to find my 2009 single of the year. My tastes change by the hour or the weather—if you live here in Southern California, you know what I mean. My fiancé Michelle has no idea what sounds will be coming from our office. I may wake up in the mood for some Doors, and then change my mind mid-song and throw on some Echo and the Bunnymen. Give me another half of a minute and I’ll want to hear some Buena Vista Social Club. Back to my favorite song of the year, all I had to do is hear the angelic voice coming from, as one critic called her in the mid-`90s, the voice of God, or that of his favorite band The Cocteau Twins.

All I had to do is hear Elizabeth Fraser’s angelic calls from her new single “Moses” and that was it. Fraser sings on three of my favorite songs of all time: The Cocteau Twins’ “Carolyn’s Fingers,” which sounds like an angel floating in the air while whispering blissful melodies into your ear; “Teardrop,” the quintessential Massive Attack song which captures the heart inside our deepest fears and wishes regarding love; and the best duet never released, Fraser crooning with the late great Jeff Buckley on “All Flowers in Time.” Three different songs, all with their own singular feel; the range in this artist’s style makes her one of the greatest vocalists of our lifetime.

“Moses” is her slight return. Recorded with her new partner Damon Reece, “Moses” was released as a tribute to Fraser and Reece’s collaborator Jake Drake-Brockman. Drake-Brockman passed away this fall, so the duo released this breath-taking track as a tribute to their deceased friend. It may have taken a death to bring this beautiful song to life but “Moses” is a song that definitely needs to be heard. I’ve been playing it over and over, while spinning my favorite Fraser-related tracks on my media player. The Moses EP, released on Rough Trade, comes with two remixes but all you have to do is play the original single version and you’ll fall in love the moment Elizabeth begins to sing. “Moses” sounds like a 21st Century French trip-hop treasure. I imagine myself walking through the streets of Paris with my headphones one seeing the wonders of the city of love come to life in front of my very eyes. With the soundtrack of Fraser and her beau Reece in your ears, it’s like taking a trip to France without even leaving your home.

“Moses” is, in retrospect, the single of 2009. With the rumor of an album to be released sometime in the near future, this songs may be the last we hear of Fraser for sometime. In the meantime, play “Carolyn’s Fingers,” “Teardrop,” “All Flowers in Time” and add “Moses” to her genius of a canon with a voice from up above that will make you swoon and sing with unbridled joy. Welcome back Elizabeth. We missed you.

Similar Works:
Air – Cherry Blossom Girl
Massive Attack – Teardrop
Björk – All is Full of Love

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