I Can Only Be Me

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EVIL SCARECROW release new single 'Release The Krakhen', out on Deadbox Records, ​tour starts 2nd Feb. The 103 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products.

Nobody could have imagined that the audio and video recordings captured that night would prove to be the foundation of Eva Cassidy's posthumous superstardom. Really don't understand the 45rpm issuing of this, as I find there is no sound stage, literally Eva is center and orchestra is coming directly out of left and right speakers. For an artist like Cassidy, who was well known for being introverted and quiet, the collaboration with one of the world’s leading orchestras seems almost antithetical to what she stood for as an artist. Where previous posthumous releases for the American artist, like 1997’s Eva By Heart and 2000’s No Boundaries showcased the raw talent and emotional depth of Cassidy, highlighting her one-of-a-kind voice with a purity and clarity that was both angelic and soulful, 2023’s release with The London Symphony Orchestra provides a previously unheard side of Eva’s work. Audio restoration technology developed by filmmaker Peter Jackson was used to strip Cassidy's voice from her original recordings, with the orchestrations being produced in 2021.

The album’s title track is a radical reworking of a Stevie Wonder penned song, Eva Cassidy’s musical idol. Death Of Stalin) and William Ross (Star Wars, Harry Potter) the project was made possible thanks to recent advances in machine learning audio restoration technology; the very same platforms and processes used in the 2021 The Beatles: Get Back film.

Nobody could have imagined that the audio and video recordings captured that night would prove to be the foundation of Eva Cassidy’s posthumous superstardom. To commemorate what would have been her 60th birthday (on February 2), Blix Street Records will release a landmark new album, which pairs Cassidy's impeccable voice with the backing of the legendary London Symphony Orchestra. Listening to I Can Only Be Me, where guitar lines have been stripped and replaced by moving arrangements, it’s immediately obvious that Eva Cassidy was one of the great singers of our generation, and the new record has managed to not only capture the essence of Eva, but highlight what made her such an incredible artist from the beginning. Lukes, the 18th century former Anglican London church that currently serves as the London Symphony Orchestra's home, conducted by Chris Egan.

The release of the “Songbird” track coincided with the song’s debut airing on BBC Radio2 in England.

The goal with the orchestral version was to complement her pure vocal essence with a simple, yet broader instrumental arrangement – a lush musical landscape with Eva's voice at the center. I Can Only Be Me is the ninth posthumous album by Eva Cassidy, released on March 3, 2023, and is a collaboration between Blix Street Records and the London Symphony Orchestra. People Magazine wrote of SONGBIRD at the time: “Whether in jazz, folk, or inspirational music, Cassidy’s potential was huge, and this album stands as a testament to popular music’s loss. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice.Her versions of iconic songs have made their way into myriad films and television programs, among them Maid in Manhattan, Smallville, CSI: Vegas, Dawson's Creek and This Is Us. Of the "Songbird" track, Willis commented: “The wonderful, resonant truth about this song is that Eva is the Songbird, singing naturally from the heart. I Can Only Be Me features redefining orchestral versions of classic repertoire including ‘Songbird’, ‘Time After Time’, ‘Autumn Leaves’ and ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’.

Eva Cassidy’s original vocal parts have been isolated and accompanied by new arrangements written by Oscar-shortlisted Christopher Willis and Grammy-winning William Ross. Unable to secure a record deal that didn’t compromise her penchant for wide-ranging material, she cashed in a small pension to pay for the recording of her first album, LIVE AT BLUES ALLEY, in 1996.Eva worked in a plant nursery by day and played in local clubs around her native Washington, DC by night, developing a loyal following for her intensely personal, highly eclectic musical style.