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Liz Isenberg
By Adam Arrigo
Photo by Lara Woolfson
When Elliott Smith first emerged on the indie-folk-punk scene in the ‘90s, fans of the DIY aesthetic found what they’d been looking for all along: a sort of anti-pop artist. Smith was shy, humble, and he made music not because he sought to profit from it, but because he had to — it kept him sane. His lo-fi recordings perfectly reflected this persona, and a decade later, his legacy remains intact in Northampton, where he once attended college at Hampshire. Within this context exists newly formed independent label Leisure Class, home to three indie-folk artists attending the same school — most notably, Maryland-raised Liz Isenberg. Like Smith, Isenberg plays a melancholic breed of lo-fi acoustic-based folk with a much less structured sonic edge. Recording vocals, guitar, and string bass into a computer mic, Isenberg is a true testament to the DIY aesthetic, and to the idea that makes indie music relevant: if you look hard enough for brilliant new music, you’ll be rewarded with someone like Liz Isenberg — a diamond in the rough in a sea of anonymous artists with a guitar, microphone and internet connection.
Her first album, Seeport Seaport Seeport, released in August 2006, is a heart-wrenchingly beautiful collection of what could be described as 20 “sketches” of songs. All of its instruments and vocals were recorded closely into a Macintosh computer mic, and arranged in sound collage form in Garageband. The result is a wonderfully imperfect piece of art; erratically picked acoustic chords, Joanna Newsom-esque vocals, and subtly confessional lyrics all get transmitted through an unpolished sonic palette, lending the album an air of disarming sincerity.
“The songs on the record began as mere sketches of songs, just so I could get them down so I wouldn’t forget,” says Isenberg. “But then I realized that aesthetic was probably more in tune with my personality — the record feels sort of spontaneous.”
Citing influences from The Microphones to aleatoric composer John Cage, Isenberg’s music reflects not only her love of folk music but also her interest in sound art — her major at Hampshire College. Studying sound art has given her an increased appreciation for silence — or “blank space” — in music and art — a concept expounded upon by Cage’s revolutionary composition “4’33”.” “I feel like if I hadn’t gone [to Hampshire], I’d still be trying to sound like Ani DiFranco,” says Isenberg. “It’s been important to study all different spectrums of sound in music. I think it gives you a basis for where you can still play pop folk music but be intelligent about it and not generic ... not be confined to the typical canvas of folk music.”
In person, Isenberg is quiet and furtive in nature — probably similar to a young Chan Marshall. Something about the way she carries herself says “I know something you don’t know,” and while she’s 21, of legal age, she surely gets carded often with her delightfully child-like appearance and mannerisms. After listening to her music, it’s clear that the secret she carries is her music — a blank canvas where she can quietly confess her most catastrophic desires and emotions. “I used to feel uncomfortable playing my songs in front of friends,” says Isenberg. “I’d rather play in front of strangers because my music is definitely a side of me that isn’t really apparent otherwise — it’s the most natural medium of expression for me, and somewhat necessary as a form of music therapy.”
Isenberg admits that promoting a record so personal in nature can be “awkward,” especially since her motivation for making music has nothing to do with monetary profits or publicity. “I have horrible stage fright — I’m terrified,” she says, but she also admits that she’s working on it. On the heels of a record that is so immediately accessible yet aesthetically challenging, Isenberg might not remain indie-folk’s “best kept secret” for long. She has already been included in Fat Cat Records’ (Sigur Ros, Animal Collective) Demo Archives — a list of artists that the label would be interested in signing — time and money permitting. With plans to assemble a more complex live act and continue touring the Northeast, Isenberg will surely garner attention far beyond the quiet lowlands of Western Massachusetts.