Recorded over the span of a year in the confines of her bedroom in Brooklyn, New York, "Little Songs" was made intuitively and without the ultimate goal of making an album. The title name reflects the sentiment in which the songs were made, once a song was finished it was swiftly put to pasture in the purgatory of a computer hard drive. It was only through the assurance of close friends that the songs were eventually released from limbo and into the light of day.
"Little Songs" is a song cycle rather than a traditional album. With most tracks below the two minute mark, songs tend to slide into each other, bringing to mind quirky pop statement albums such as The Beach Boys "Smile" or Tiny Tim's "God Bless Tiny Tim". Some of the tracks that made the final cut were originally sketches, created with the intent to lay down an idea before forgetting it, while others were pure experiments in sound that in time were sculpted into songs. The song "Lorraine" for example begins with a dream sequence where Prudence is heard talking to herself, pondering the menu at a restaurant. Eventually she breaks into a ditty about which meal to order, the Quiche Lorraine or the Crepe Suzette.
There is a genuine playfulness in the way Prudence arranges her songs. The music isn't labored over but rather laid out in a broad expressionistic style. Primitively plucked classical guitars ring out over layers of percussion and midi-instruments. Ghostly sounds envelope Prudence's voice, which she expertly layers with splendidly odd harmonies. As a producer she has a real ear for drama with the sounds she chooses, songs such as "Little Lamb" and "Wrecked" bring to mind the same pastoral space that Brian Eno conjures on albums like "Another Green World".
The album exudes a lo-fi charm, without being grating. In most cases Prudence sings straight into the built-in computer mic, which is the reason for the constant static hum beneath each song. Instead of attempting to eradicate these imperfections the artist has decided to exaggerate the noise with reverb and effects which in turn makes the static hum seem deliberate. This primitive recording technique coupled with her old world voice brings to mind folk and blues field recordings from the 30's albeit through the filter of the modern age.
Above all the real treasure is the voice of Prudence. With her dreamy cadences, uncanny inflections and picaresque lyrics her voice truly hypnotizes. She sounds like a singer who is familiar with her own voice and in turn is confident enough to experiment with mood and character, often recalling singers such as Kate Bush or Julee Cruise-- singers who though known for their innovations are highly influenced by sounds of pre-war Jazz and Blues. The collage aesthetic she favors maybe the first thing one notices upon first hearing the album, but it’s Prudence's voice that makes it all work. Fittingly so, the album begins with the song "Gold" where she sings a cappella, "Gold in the night, you found me in the darkness, so we'll see our surroundings". A perfect opening to a beautifully arranged album.
