Friday, May 13, 2022

Heather Maloney - "One Hundred Pennies"


We're not usually huge fans of live albums, but that might change with the upcoming release from Heather Maloney. The album was recorded in Maloney's hometown of Northampton, MA with a four piece string quartet. The first single, "One Hundred Pennies," is an absolutely gorgeous slice of folk/pop. While most official live releases have an overproduced feel or are just a little too rough to listen to more than once, this one is just about perfect. It sounds clean enough to have been recorded in a studio but keeps the energy of a live performance. Not to mention that "One Hundred Pennies" is one hell of a great song.

"One Hundred Pennies" recalls a time that Heather Maloney's single mother sent her to school with one hundred pennies to pay for lunch and was scolded by the lunch lady. As Maloney says:

“It’s a painful memory, but the song that came out of it isn’t just about shame and struggle. It’s also about a little girl bravely orienting herself in a scary new environment, a family discovering resiliency through struggle, a single mother working miracles, and most of all, what it feels like to dig up an old source of shame and watch it transform into a source of pride.”

You can listen to "One Hundred Pennies" below. No Shortcuts - Live at the Academy is due out on June 3rd via Signature Sounds. For more on Heather Maloney, check out the artist's website.

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