Sierra Hull's official Black River Video

[Isaac Revard]

I also prefer to watch a live performance. Actually when I hear new music I avoid watching any video associated with it, because it tends to create a specific "set" in my mind of the song which then takes a long time for me to separate from the music itself. I listened to the new track above but either minimized the window or had another window open so I couldn't watch the video. Later on I might watch it but I like to get the song "raw" first.

I agree.

I also enjoy hearing the music and leaving some of the "meaning" behind it, which videos can often distort (in ones own mind), open to the imagination...which is also part of the beauty of music. It's rather like watching the movie before reading the book it was created by using. It can leave you without the ability to imagine what a character, circumstances or places looks like, because its been created in your mind already on screen.

However, I did watch the video and I can't wait for the spring time so I can sit in the rain and play my mandolin. It was a fantastic video to a great new hit that will appeal to a vast audience.

[Kirk Albrecht]

I really like the sound of her voice much better on the "live" version from eTown.

[Mark Gunter]

The older I get the more drawn I am to the 'under produced' sound of just a few musicians.

Amen to that! I think of Willie Nelson vs. Chet Atkins; the Nashville sound did nothing for Willie. He took creative control, stripped everything back, cut his own stripped-down record in a little studio in Garland, TX and became a phenomenon with Redheaded Stranger.

The simple quality of this Sierra offering rings a bell for me.

[CES]

The video is what it is, as stated (I like it, but don't have enough youthful angst in my life at the moment, thank God) but I got lost in live videos of her on YouTube for about 2 hours last night. Man, she's a phenomenal talent. Some of the eTown vids are really impressive, especially considering she had a cold for the appearance I saw. I appreciate as well how humble she appears in some of the festival vids interacting with mere mortals. There's one out there of her and a (really good/impressive) young guitar picker playing Blackberry Blossom. They both do a great job, though she's clearly at a different level. At the end, she says, something to the effect of, "Man, you sounded great! Wish I had more time to hang out and pick, but I've got this schedule..." Sounded and looked genuine, which is quite refreshing...

Best wishes to her, and it's going to be fun to watch her grow up before our eyes. Look at how much CT has changed throughout the years. Awesome for all of it, but time, love, relationships, and life do some amazing things to you.

[ccravens]

Great vid.

[Billgrass]

I see and hear an artist honestly expressing herself. The song and the performance evoke a mood and emotion in the viewer and listener. Isn't that art?

[Steve Ostrander]

Octave? Looks like a bouzouki to me...

[soliver]

All around good stuff IMO...

If you watch the interview in the first portion of the live performance posted by DarylCrisp she says its an Octave Mandolin.

[mingusb1]

I enjoyed that, thanks. A couple of questions:

--who's playing bass? Excellent tone and lines.

--Is that Sierra harmonizing with herself via overdub?

Z

[Franc Homier Lieu]

I enjoyed that, thanks. A couple of questions:

--who's playing bass? Excellent tone and lines.

--Is that Sierra harmonizing with herself via overdub?

Z

I believe this is the bass player:

[mtucker]

Adorable! ...and very talented. I could listen to her voice for days!

[Patrick Hull]

From reading a bit about the video, she says they used a rain machine, and the instrument is a Gibson Octave Mandolin. Also, "roots music all-stars Alison Krauss, Rhiannon Giddens and Abigail Washburn all join her for an eerie, slightly unsettling round of harmonies.

Seems to me that it is by far her best vocal performance and perhaps her way of saying, "I'm really a big girl now." I really like the song and also the big step forward for Sierra.

[usqebach]

Alison Krauss?

She's that country diva that holds a violin when she sings, right?

[Don Grieser]

I may not like everything Sierra does, but I support her having all the freedom to do anything she wants. She's that good: A true talent who we're all blessed to be watching as she finds her way through this ever-changing entertainment business. The video is not my cup of tea, but if she gains some fans from this video, good for her. It's great she's being covered by Rolling Stone!!

"Get my picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone."

[foldedpath]

From reading a bit about the video, she says they used a rain machine, and the instrument is a Gibson Octave Mandolin.

While not disputing the quote, I'm left wondering what a "Gibson Octave Mandolin" could possibly be?

I've only ever seen this one forum reference to what might be a one-off Gibson OM from 1904. If there is another one floating around, it wouldn't be something you'd stick under a rain machine for a video.

It's not easy to see in that video, but it looks like it has a slotted headstock, which is unusual for OM's. Might be something low cost like a Hora? Unless it's another Gibson one-off, and I can't imagine Gibson going for that particular shape and headstock.

[Tommcgtx]

This is from her Facebook page:

#‎tbt‬ to the making of the 'Black River' video. Here's some behind-the-scene's pics! It was a COLD day. Rain Machine & Massive Fan = COLDER.

Shout outs to the team that made this possible --
Director: Patrick Tohill (+ his wonderful crew!)
Hair and Makeup: Christiana Fineo
Scary Clocked Stunt Double: LL Jones
Clothing by: Two Old Hippies- check out their store!
Octave Mandolin: Gibson
Watch Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heTA2FGlu8s

She also tagged a picture, saying:
"Thanks to the folks at Gibson for supplying this octave mandolin."

[foldedpath]

So was it a one-off prop for the video, or is Gibson getting into the OM business now? It's also a little weird because as far as I know, she's been a Weber endorser for a while. There must be an interesting story behind this.

[Bertram Henze]

Nicely sums up a professional musician's life. You sleep in the woods and play your rotten instrument in any wheather, the grim reaper your only audience...

P.S. whoever wrote the song heard this cover version of a completely different song first, I bet.

[PseudoCelt]

It's not easy to see in that video, but it looks like it has a slotted headstock, which is unusual for OM's. Might be something low cost like a Hora? Unless it's another Gibson one-off, and I can't imagine Gibson going for that particular shape and headstock.

I don't think it has a slotted headstock. To me, it looks like it could be a standard Gibson acoustic guitar headstock shape, or at least is based around that shape. Apart from the headstock, it doesn't look much like any other Gibson I've ever seen.

[Bertram Henze]

It's not slotted. Those glinting points you see are the normal tuning pegs, quite near the edge. The tuning pegs of slotted headstocks are much wider and nearer to the center. Also, raindrops are bouncing off the headstock where the slots would be (you have to switch to 1/4 speed to see that), and creepy, too - no instrument deserves that treatment.

[jaycat]

"Raindrops keep falling on my headstock"
--Paul Newman.

[chasray]

Surely it's a "freshwater" bouzouki?

[eadg145]

The "official" video was an interesting art piece as a whole, and I enjoyed it once, but to me it took too much away from the song.

But that live version -- WOW!!! That was a killer performance, and it restores my faith in pure performance of a good song. I will watch that one many times over!

[Petrus]

Have had this song (not the video as such) stuck in my head the past week. But I don't mind so much! I'm going through a tough time and it's helping.

[pointpergame]

I feel like Petrus...don

... The older I get the more drawn I am to the 'under produced' sound of just a few musicians.

I'm with Mark. While SH is...uhhh...charming in recline, the post production / artistic compression makes me think of putting sugar in fine tea. But, of course, the girl needs to market herself. Look at Josh Turner ( the younger )...apparently very little marketing and whose even heard of him?