Born in Moscow in 1986 and currently based in Berlin via Tel Aviv, Mary Ocher is the daughter of Jewish-Ukrainian parents and a fiercely committed musician who’s been on the international scene for 25 years. With her new album Weimar, she shifts gears from her art-punk foundations to deliver an album of considerable intensity and beauty. It features Ocher in truly solo mode. It’s out March 13 on 130-gram 10-inch vinyl and digital through Underground Institute.
Mary Ocher has amassed a sizable discography, but she’s also a prolific collaborator. The folks she’s grooved with creatively include King Khan (producer of her 2013 LP EDEN), the drum duo Your Government (co-credited on her eponymous 2016 LP and other releases), Die Tödliche Doris and Felix Kubin (guests on her 2017 LP The West Against the People), Julia Kent (cellist on a sweet cover of Robbie Basho’s “Blue Crystal Fire” on her 2017 10-inch Faust Studio Sessions and Other Recordings), and pianist-composer Roberto Cacciapaglia and Mogwai (on her 2023 LP Approaching Singularity: Music for the End of Time).
But with one exception, Weimar is just Ocher singing and playing a piano she purchased during the pandemic after she left her now ex-husband. As track four on this concise but powerful LP (released on heavy 10-inch vinyl to maximize the sound quality) is titled “Divorce,” it’s clear this collection of compositions is quite personal.
The record does include two new versions of piano-based songs from Ocher’s discography, “(As Free as) the Great Outdoors (revisited)” (originally from EDEN) and “On the Streets of Hard Labor (revisited)” (first recorded on her debut CD, 2011’s War Songs). The EDEN recording of “(As Free as) the Great Outdoors” hit a sweet spot between Lotte Lenya-style torch songs and crafty avant-pop. The revisit here ups the torchy quality by leaning into a zone reminiscent of Diamanda Galas, but mildly so.
The War Songs take of “On the Streets of Hard Labor” is Ocher belting it out art-pop cabaret style solo at the piano. This fresh visit is crisper and more pop with a feel that recalls Laurie Anderson. Notably, this track features the only guest contribution in the record, the exquisite violin of Yukari Aotani.
Weimar opens with the cascading keyboard flow of “The Dance.” Ocher’s hearty singing is part of the equation, but this is really about the composer getting busy on the 88s. The brief “Divorce” is perhaps the truly gorgeous gem of the whole record, a terrific piece of writing substantially elevated by the piano-vocal combination.
The three consecutive movements of “The Narrative” feature the piano only and emphasize Ocher’s skill both compositionally and as a player. There are stretches of prettiness, but with an edge and also thunder-rumble. Finale “To Transcend” combines prime key spillage with multitracked vocals that can bring to mind Ann Magnuson. That’s a grand vision to formulate in one’s mind, and Weimar is a superb album from start to finish.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
A-
