Daiana Feuer on September 28th, 2018

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Anna St. Louis moved to Los Angeles five years ago from Kansas City and started writing soft, ruminative country folk on guitar. It was a contrast for her, a painter who grew up singing in punk bands who then taught herself guitar and recorded her first tunes in the bedroom. Her debut record, “If Only There Was A River” comes out Oct. 12 on Mare Records, Kevin Morby’s imprint under Woodsist. It’s the same label that’s home to Shannon Lay, indicating Morby’s penchant for introspective, dreamy folk for heartache and wanderers. The label also released St. Louis’s debut cassette last November, “First Songs.”

Aspiring to work with others for the new album, St. Louis had Kyle Thomas (King Tuff) and Kevin Morby co-produce “If Only There Was A River,” which Thomas engineered at his Mt. Washington home. Featuring 11 songs that examine emotions at a slow and steady, romantically lonesome pace, the record includes contributions from drummer Justin Sullivan (Night Shop) and multi-instrumentalist Oliver Hill (Pavo Pavo). The latest single, “Desert,” feels as dusty and nostalgic as the title would suggest, and takes your mind on a quiet ride to a warm, empty landscape of rocks, sharp plants, and feelings.

||| Stream: “Desert” and “The Bells”

||| Also: Watch the video for “Understand”

||| Live: Anna St. Louis will perform at Permanent Records on Oct. 20 in Highland Park, followed by an after-party at Town Pizza with DJ sets by Kevin Morby and King Tuff.