12/03/2021
Wonderful to see the release of "Firebird" by Kythe Heller and Sounds Like Things!
"Firebird" in this form is a full length Album inspired by the poetry book also entitled, "Firebird", written and published by Kythe Heller. This album fuses the spoken word of Kythe with the musical creativity of Sounds Like Things.
Sounds Like Things is an experimental music duo comprised of Andrew Stauffer and Nicholas Denton.
Kythe Heller is a poet, essayist, performer, filmmaker, and scholar currently based in Cambridge, MA. degrees from Reed College, Sarah Lawrence College, and Harvard Divinity School and has taught literature, religion, media, and art at Coachman Family Homeless Shelter, Harvard University, Bayview Correctional Facility, Bard College, Sarah Lawrence College, and Hofstra University. Currently she is a poet on the faculty of the Language and Thinking Program at Bard College while also pursuing a doctoral degree in Comparative Religion at Harvard University. www.kytheheller.com
Firebird is NOT a light walk on a hillside patch of wild flowers. Listening to Firebird unlocks a potent and emotional life energy for your contemplation. It was certainly my pleasure recording the spoken word of Kythe and mixing and mastering this album.
I will say this type of creative project is one that draws you in while working on it. I pretty much always get very connected to the audio projects I work on and Firebird was certainly no exception. Each time I worked on it, mental preparation was required and an understanding that it would suck me in and generate interpretations each time. For me, Firebird highlights, that we don't always control the events and experiences in our lives, but somehow these events define who we become. How we respond to these life experiences defines us. Are we transformed like the Firebird? Are we reborn with greater strength, vision, and spirit? In that vein, I like to think of it now as a story of HOPE!
soundslikethings.bandcamp.com/album/firebird
50% of all proceeds from album sales will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross to help with natural disaster relief in BC.
