In a year that’s thus far been largely defined by the left-field songwriting of artists like Cindy Lee, Julia Holter, and Jessica Pratt—to say nothing of a long-anticipated Beth Gibbons solo debut—the introduction of Anastasia Coope feels a little less unexpected than it might have in 2021 when the baroque-ambient musician released her debut EP. Having since inked a deal with indie heavyweights Jagjaguwar, the arrival of Coope’s first full-length Darning Woman is a welcome addition to 2024’s growing canon of haunted folk music steeped in psychedelia and the ghosts of bygone eras of pop music dating back to the Brill Building movement of the late 1950s and early ’60s.
It’s no surprise, then, that Coope’s influences range from her like-minded contemporaries to the original artists who paved the way for much of the modern musical landscape. Having put together a playlist of influences for us, it seems logical to see that she included the lushness of Fleetwood Mac among a tracklist that also lists Clinic’s balance of pop-minded elegance and Cindy Lee’s innovative take on vintage rock. Even the all-the-way-out-there antics of The Residents feel present throughout Darning Woman, with the eerie “Easter Woman” matching the all-too-briefness of pre-album single “Sorghum.”
With the LP out today, find all of Coope’s picks below along with writeups on each track.
The Residents, “Easter Woman”
I rarely make it through a Residents record without pausing to write a song. I love “Easter Woman.” I play it on the melodica a lot. I also listen to it every Easter.
Fleetwood Mac, “Caroline”
This whole record sounds like a massive twinkling ornament in the sky. I’m always working toward this kind of lushness.
The Everly Brothers, “Donna, Donna”
I’ve always been very obsessed with The Everly Brothers. I’m still dazzled by their close harmonies—very impressive.
Clinic, “The Return of Evil Bill”
This Clinic record does a lot in a pretty confined sonic space. It’s punchy, but really elegant.
Family Fodder, “Der Leiermann”
I don’t listen to Family Fodder as much as I used to, but they were big for me in terms of utilizing weirdness in music, but staying chic about it.
Black Dice, “Treetops”
Creature Comforts is my favorite Black Dice record, and “Treetops” is my favorite Black Dice song. It’s an all-time example of beautiful music to me.
Brigitte Fontaine, “Vous et nous”
This record never stops moving forward. The title track is my favorite. Brigitte Fontaine looks so cool on the album cover—I’ve always thought that the music sounds exactly like the blue shirt she has on.
Broadcast, “Elegant Elephant”
I’d be remiss to not include Broadcast. Their recordings are my all-time favorites. They’re preternatural—everything that moves me in life is present in their music. “Elegant Elephant” is a very special one.
The Chordettes, “Wait Til’ the Sun Shines, Nellie”
The choir that I envision in a lot of my recordings is a group of four or five women. The Chordettes are exactly the type of vocal group that I often try to conjure.
Cindy Lee, “Plastic Raincoat”
Pat Flegel’s projects are some of my favorite music to sit around (or walk around) and listen to. I think about newness a lot in art, and this record sparkles with it. Pat is good at making music that is necessity.
