The new record from moira smiley and VOCO hits the streets today. Laughter Out of Tears (Whim Records) is a beautifully transcendant creation that boldly spans Appalachian, Eastern European, and choral traditions with a tasty dash of Moira’s original material and covers from folk stalwarts Woodie Guthrie and Gillan Welch. Having followed and enjoyed Moira’s music for many years, and worked with her on stage and in the studio, I believe that this release represents the full gamut of her passion for uplifting vocal music. But my words are perhaps inadequate to the task of describing these songs, so here are those of Moira herself. At the core of this project lies a crowd-sourced, high-tech concept she calls the Choir of YOU.

“I’ve had the Choir of YOU idea for a while,” Moira explains, “but it seemed so appropriate for this album for a few reasons: My father died in 2012, I was feeling lost artistically, and communal singing was always a source of strength – a root for me. I write for choirs, and I know how powerful a gathering of voices can be. People could download the tracks from my website, add their own voice by following the guide-tracks and sheet-music I posted there, then email their tracks to me.” She used this process to build five tracks on the album.

Moira’s original songs add a personal touch to the record. “I feel proud of the songwriting too,” she observes. “Songs like Mazurka, Oh Winter and North Country don’t shy away from personal storytelling. To me, they’re the heart of the album.”

LISTEN: North Country

LISTEN: Oh Winter