By Jim Bessman
Billboard | May 31, 2003
The the project is her first release since 1998’s intense, critically praised Slide. It also marks her label switch from 4AD to ArtistDirect Records imprint Ineffable/iMusic.
It is a move that follows a period during which Germano jokes that she quit making music “because my career decided it didn’t want to be pursued.”
The past few years saw the artist hit a rock-bottom phase during which she lost her recording deal, her manager, her publisher, and her accountant.
Still, she continued to write songs, while working full-time at Book Soup, a Hollywood bookstore. The shop is frequented by industry veteran Tony Berg, who is currently executive VP of A&R at ArtistDirect.
Berg was acquainted with Germano, and he conceived Ineffable with artists like her in mind
“It reflects my tastes in seeking lyrically oriented artists with a particular point of view,” Berg says. “What distinguishes Lisa from almost any artist I’ve encountered is her ability to mine some of the deepest emotions any of us experience. She finds a poetic way to articulate even the deepest sadness within exquisite music.”
Lullaby for Liquid Pig certainly qualifies on all counts—starting with the title song.
“It’s a metaphor for something much deeper—about being lonely and too needy and thirst,” Germano explains. “The ‘liquid pig’ sucks energy, and is sometimes alcohol and sometimes people. But the song is actually mocking my own behavior. It’s about someone I needed too much who wasn’t into me—with alcohol being the metaphor for changing my behavior.”
Noting that critics have always “revered” Germano, Berg cites a strong press focus in the label’s marketing plans. Tripla-A radio formats and independent music and book store will also be targeted.
“We’re making a case for a slightly older demographic that wants something substantial from their music,” he says.
Germano says she is pleased that she has reached the point where is strong enough to put her experiences into song form—and then put them out into the world. It is what she believes now keeps her focused on moving forward.
“In this climate, with the war and the problems in the music business, it’s cool to be able to put out a record that takes you in,” she says. “It’s reflective. It’s not about entertainment and selling records. It’s about reaching people.”
Featured Image: Lisa Germano (Photo: Andrew Catlin)