Last year at the U.S. edition of All Tomorrow’s Parties, Hope Sandoval sent me straight off to Dreamland, in many good ways. The light-dappled eddies of her butter-smooth voice shot me straight back to 1994, to Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You,” just a couple years before the Cowboy Junkies charmed the world with the same sound on their cover of the Velvets’ “Sweet Jane.” It was a cool period where ladies sounded like women, somewhat of a predecessor to artists like Neko Case, Beach House and Liz Phair, at least to these ears.
Mazzy Star — the winning combination of Sandoval and David Roback — hasn’t released a new album since 1996. They split that year and then around the turn of the century, they went on a brief reunion tour, during which they played unreleased and new songs. Since then, both have sworn that they’d eventually put something out, including that time in 2009 Sandoval swore a new album was coming, even if the release date was a little bit hazy.
That prospective date is still hazy, as the promise of a complete volume is set merely for some time in 2012.
But, like Mazzy Star’s music: no need to rush, folks. Take it easy. Here, start with brand new “Lay Myself Down,” the B-Side to forthcoming new single “Common Burn,” both due for download on Oct. 31. A 7″ of the two-song single will be available soon after.
According to a release, the two new tracks were recorded in California, London and Norway. The duo will tour in 2012, to be followed by an album.