Song of the Day: Keren Ann – Lay Your Head Down

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s featured selection, chosen by Midday Show host Cheryl Waters, is “Lay Your Head Down” by Keren Ann from the 2007 self-titled release Keren Ann on Blue Note.

Keren Ann – Lay Your Head Down (MP3)

For her fifth studio effort, her first sung entirely in English, Keren Ann Zeidel recorded in Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Iceland, and Israel. Gaining choral accompaniments from Iceland and inspiration from the other locales, this record serves as a diary of Zeidel as a life-long traveler. Self-produced, this record maintains the delicacy of its predecessors, but gains a guitar-driven edginess thanks to mixer Joe Barresi (Queens of the Stone Age, Tomahawk, the Melvins). You can hear her unique sound tomorrow, June 12, live on KEXP at 12 pm. She also performs live at the Triple Door that night at 7:30 pm.

Head over to her MySpace page to sample three tracks off of the latest album. In the meantime, watch this video for “Chelsea Burns.”