Bay Area-based songwriter Deborah Crooks performs and records under her own name and with the band Bay Station. Place-based and rooted in practice, her work is informed by her studies of natural and personal history, as well as co-writing and collaborating with other artists and musicians. Her most recent projects include the multi-character, bird-themed folk opera Flight Lessons and a new collection of songs, I Was Yours, which she’ll release on December 19.
“Marzipan” is the latest single from Crooks, an artist who has been slowly carving out a lane for themselves in a wildly burgeoning folk-rock scene. With the genre reaching new heights of popularity, the need for innovation is inevitable, and the psychedelic undertones of “Marzipan” hint at the serene uniqueness this artist embodies. The poetic single finds Crooks’ heartfelt vocals dancing with loose, hazy guitars that maintain a subtle twang, as if “Marzipan” is straddling the line between tradition and the artist’s lofty visions. While there is plenty of intricate fusion work at play on “Marzipan,” Crooks’s prowess maintains a welcoming atmosphere. The soaring hook radiates with a familiar warmth, as it gently slides into colorful images painted in the verses. With a vague yet potent approach to songwriting and a restless creativity, Crooks releases a stunning new single ahead of her new album, I Was Yours.
‘’Marzipan’ is both my ode to a favorite treat — dark-chocolate-covered almond paste, yum! — and also about how meaningful it is when someone else sees and understands your desire,” explains Crooks when asked about her new single.
