The Key Studio Sessions: Abi Reimold

Wriggling, the debut LP from Philly’s Abi Reimold, is the very definition of “music with feeling.” Over the course of a dozen tracks, the album cavorts with joy and seethes with rage. Through an unbridled vocal delivery Reimold conveys pain and sorrow in a way that few of her peers can match; backed by members of Mumblr and Roof Doctor, dynamic arrangements echo the sentiment.

But these feelings, even when heavy and unpleasant, are greatly preferable to feeling nothing at all. They’re part of life, and I think that Reimold – an optimist at heart – is trying to embrace all of that with her art, both visual (she’s a talented photographer) and sonic. Wriggling is about hurt and mortality as much as it’s about love and friendship, and Reimold and her band put it on bold display when they stopped by WXPN to record a Key Studio Session.

We hear the breezy “Sugar,” a poppy number sort of reminiscent of 80s Joni Mitchell; we hear the brash brutality “Feed,” which smokes and scorches like a particularly scorned Cursive song. And then there’s a moving rendition of “Vessel,” the jazzy tune Reimold wrote as a nod of sorts to Nina Simone. It’s complex and engrossing, and the best way to experience it all is to dive right in.

Below, watch Reimold and her band play the fists-in-the-air anthem “Arranged” via VuHaus, and listen to the session in its entirety. To grab a free download, head over to our Soundcloud page – to hear the full album, consult the folks at Sad Cactus Records. Abi Reimold headlines Johnny Brenda’s on Thursday, April 28th; for tickets and more information, head to the XPN Concert Calendar.

[vuhaus category=”videos” item=”abi-reimold-arranged-the-key-studio-session” ][/vuhaus]