Seraphina Lotkhamnga on June 28th, 2011

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Alela Diane has been known to have an old soul. The Portland, Ore.-based singer-songwriter’s maturity has mirrored the wisdom of Vashti Bunyan while rivaling the appeal of today’s popular country music on her last two releases. However, her influences from her two musician parents and origins in northern California come through clearer than ever on her latest album, “Alela Diane & Wild Divine.” Handing her guitar off to a group of musicians (which includes her father and husband) to focus on vocal experimentation has allowed Diane to shed her former “freak-folk” vibe and yield a crisp Laurel Canyon sound. New tunes such as opening track “To Begin” reels one in and holds tight as her new irrefutable tone weaves in and out of galloping bluegrass-tinged folk arrangements. Although a full band (who appropriately call themselves Wild Divine) presents a more robust live setup, Diane’s stories are still up front and center and boldly declaring that she is not your typical singer-songwriter.

||| Download: “To Begin”

||| Watch: Check out her video for “Desire” after the jump.

Photo by Chloe Aftel

||| Live: Alela Diane plays Wednesday at the Echo with the Parson Red Heads and Yukon Blond. She also plays Old Style Guitar shop earlier in the day.