B i o g r a p h y (by Rob Wacey)
Known for her heavily atmospheric and dreamy psychedelic sound that's aptly described as "desert rock" or an extension of the neo-torch song, Alexandra Savior (full name, Alexandra Savior McDermott) is an American alternative pop/rock singer/songwriter from Portland, Oregon. Developing an eclectic musical taste during her teens, Savior became interested in writing her own songs at the age of 14. Inspired by a broad range of artists such as Otis Redding, Jack White, Amy Winehouse, and Etta James, she began penning her own lyrics and figuring out her artistic direction by logging melody ideas and different guitar techniques via tape recorder. She first garnered industry attention in 2012, when she uploaded a cover of folk-blues musician Angus Stone's "Big Jet Plane." Earning praise from Courtney Love, the magnetic performance also landed the young creative on the radar of multiple industry representatives. The following year, she scrapped her original plans of attending art school and relocated to Los Angeles to pursue her music career more directly. The same year also saw further praise from established artists, particularly from Grammy-nominated Linda Perry, who compared her to Fiona Apple. Toward the end of 2013, Savior had signed with Columbia Records and begun to work on more material. Subsequently, the label sent some of her material to Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner to propose a possible collaboration in order to establish Savior's sound further. With radically different songwriting structures and style, Turner's approach began to hone the young singer's songs along a specific route, more accurately encapsulating Alexandra's sound, which she describes as "being in the middle of the desert, and being abducted...[a]nd opening up into a desert realm, where there's a bar with nobody in it, a dark red light in the corner, with a woman crooning in a long black dress." Such a description exemplified the songwriter's artistic sensibility and visual approach to her art overall, as opposed to purely focused on the sound of it. Throughout 2014 and 2015, she got to work on her first full-length effort (under the working title of Strange Portrait) with Turner and producer James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco (Foals, Depeche Mode). Her first demo, "Risk," then appeared on the second season soundtrack of HBO's popular anthology crime drama True Detective. Billed on the soundtrack as Alexandra McDermott, she then decided to use her middle name as her last for her stage persona, based on a suggestion from Turner. Savior eventually changed the album's title to Belladonna of Sadness, which arrived in April of 2017. The record was promoted by the singles "Shades," "M.T.M.E.," "Mystery Girl," and "Mirage" ahead of the record's release.
Belladonna of Sadness
Mirage Violet was tickling my fancy Gives out just the right amount of soul I wonder if it makes me sound too old Decided that a Stella or a Candy Seems as if I'm spinning down a pole Swept 'em over to the stack of no's And La-di-dah I sing songs about Whatever the fuck they want Whatever the fuck they want And ooh-eh-ooh I'm so blue Anna-Marie Mirage Painting my teardrops on And on, and on, and on Staring through the window of a wig store Crying through the credits of the show That you've seen a bunch of times before An inch away from settling on Coco Shame that she's that girl you used to know Loved her, but we had to let her go And La-di-dah We sing songs about Whatever the fuck they want Whatever the fuck they want And ooh-eh-ooh We're so blue Anna-Marie Mirage Painting our teardrops on And on, and on, and on Anna-Marie Mirage Shooting a mood collage Piñata paper heart I don't know where she starts And I stop Dress me like the front of a casino Push me down another rabbit hole Touch me like I'm gonna turn to gold She's almost like a million other people That you'll never really get to know And it feels as if she's swallowing me whole And La-di-dah We sing songs about Whatever the fuck she wants Whatever the fuck she wants And ooh-eh-ooh We're so blue Anna-Marie Mirage She's painting our teardrops on And on, and on, and on Bones In my bones, I can feel it in my bones In a way that I've never felt before I just can't stop from wondering where you are How's it for you, baby Don't know why, don't know where to begin Don't know what is or isn't happening Don't know how, my head's in such a spin Is yours in one too, baby And it goes on, it goes on and on While you're here And long after you're gone Can't pretend, no more I just can't pretend I'm not in love with you That's not true, true Drift away and only dream of you And I have to say, I wake up in the mood Ain't had your name as a knuckle tattoo But I think I might do "shawty" In my bones, I can feel it in my bones In a way that I've never felt before I just can't stop from wondering where you are How's it for you, baby And it goes on, it goes on and on While you're here And long after you're gone Can't pretend, no more I just can't pretend I'm not in love with you That's not true, true, true Shades I left your house when you were sleeping Hadn't correctly got my head screwed on Tried to find a way to write a note Couldn't get your shower to work I sort of wish that it was raining So that I could pull the hood up on my coat I'm always happy to be leaving Could be the company I'm keeping Like when you're looking for your shades Rifling through your pockets And you find them on your face Oh I can't escape it Abnormal behavior Uncontrollably vaporing on About something dumb Sooner or later This strange little arrangement And all of its exchanges Must cease Shouldn't have come back Shouldn't have switched it on at all Didn't mean to hold you so close But you know how it goes I sort of wish that it was sunset I kind of wish that it was New Year's Day On a vacant street I'd cast a long-ass shadow Like when you're looking for your shades Rifling through your pockets And you find them on your face Walking around in a daze I don't want to stop it Baby, let's shoot straight Oh I can't escape it Abnormal behavior Uncontrollably vaporing on About something dumb Sooner or later This strange little arrangement And all of its exchanges Must cease It's not easy to see where to go The misty middle distance swallows The curves in the only road I know That maybe takes us out of here Girlie Hopelessly showbiz associates She's got friends you haven't met They smoke menthol cigarettes Bogus psychosis She floats on in And she ain't ever anywhere So you're lucky that she's here Talk about Hollywood problems She's got 'em She's always looking for a wilder ride And she'll be fuckin' with her phone all night She calls me "Girlie" She gets in corners where water can't Got that look upon her face Says she's twenty minutes late Her shit is sorted She's all for it 'Til her eyeballs start to bleed She don't wanna go to sleep Talk about ladder to stardom She's on one And if that doesn't whet your appetite Well she probably got something that might She calls me "Girlie" Talk about Hollywood problems She's got 'em She's always looking for a wilder ride And she'll be fuckin' with her phone all night She calls me "Girlie" Frankie Babe, you got your villains' car You got your sleeves rolled up Anatomical heart Babe, got your ten-gallon hat Cinnamon toothpick Lightning flash You got falling stars at your feet You got stolen from next to me And the moment's gone back to sleep You got stolen from next to me You say you gotta go To a place I don't know Well, the ace in the hole Is I've got a friend called Frankie Babe, you got your destiny You've got your fingers crossed You've got me so intrigued Babe, you've got to make me come Back to your Battle Star We better run along You got falling stars at your feet You got stolen from next to me And the moment's gone back to sleep You got stolen from next to me Say you gotta go To a place I don't know Well the ace in the hole Is I've got a friend called Frankie Submit to me Your fantasy And I'll endlessly Maintain it M.T.M.E. Well it never was all that clear Why you left me standing in the mirror The horizon drank me down No, I never did completely know Why you sunk down on that gas peddle Always trying to skip the town Scribbled down in pencil Ten-track souvenir Audio memento Music to my ears No, I never really understood How you do it like a stranger does Send me flying every time Oh, I never really wondered why I was just trying to pass some time I ain't crying, I'm just fine Scribble down in pencil Ten-track souvenir Audio memento Music to my ears You questioned my credentials You quoted Vladimir You Dario Argento'd Music to my ears Music to my ears Music to my ears Music to my ears I never really wondered why I was just trying to pass some time I ain't crying, I'm just fine Audeline I'm counting on the morning for him to make it back Take it off, you know what he wants if he's in drag And he's keeping the lights down To the top he's shooting so you better get back He's a roar, he'll charm you 'til you give 'em a slap That microphone hog Audeline I question my design Your opinion changed my mind Don't leave me caught up You can look but to touch you'll have to pay the price Open book, but oh yeah, most of the pages are wired Straight to his arm He dropped a coin Guess he's got no problem sparing a dime Not a boy, that's a man can't you tell by the shine Of his Black Magic Lounge Audeline I question my design Your opinion changed my mind Far behind I struggle to cast a line Motorcycle leather alliance Don't leave me caught up He spends his days With what's-her-face The seven shades of Shaman She's being vague He's in that phase I'm by your place Audeline I question my design Your opinion changed my mind Don't leave me out Cupid Filled in the hole in the road We were speaking in code Stuck in fantasy mode Who never really liked Coming back down to Earth It's not that it hurt It was just so much worse With anyone but you Know a shortcut A sure shot I forgot How it ought to feel I don't know what to do It's a whole lot To hold back You know that Cupid shoots to kill There's a mysterious force It sinks in its claws Pulls me closer to yours Some cosmic business Illuminating allure What are we waiting for Never hated you more Why does nobody but you Know a shortcut A sure shot I forgot How it ought to feel I don't know what to do It's a whole lot To hold back You know that Cupid shoots to kill Know a shortcut A sure shot I forgot How it ought to feel I don't know what to do It's a whole lot To hold back You know that Cupid shoots to kill 'Til You're Mine She makes my shoulders deflate Won't ever see me standing up straight Strawberry split personality She's got so many years hanging over me I would not wait I would not wait If I were you I would have chosen her too You'll end up calling her babe She's scorching hot enough to hit "save" Never forgave what she did to me All dolled up, actin' like a bitch would be Couldn't behave She just couldn't behave But if I were you I would have chosen her too Do you think she feels like she's being watched Maybe not But baby, when the music stops all you got Is a risky photo Bathroom mirror moment, bozo Smoke show She's fine Perfect kissing height Yeah, she suits you alright But I won't stop until you're mine No, I won't stop until you're mine But I won't stop until you're mine No, I won't stop until you're mine Vanishing Point Twisted on a dead-straight road Haven't got a change of close We just split, call me crazy But I think they might be onto us Everybody else can eat my dust Shall we make believe they're chasing us Make a wish for me baby 'Cause I think they might be catching up You're a thousand times mine I'm a thousand times yours A thousand times mine And I want a thousand more Until the vanishing point And baby, not a moment before You're a thousand times mine And I am a thousand yours As if the earth's reserved for you and I Not a soul for miles on either side We just slipped off the radar And I think they might be onto us You're a thousand times mine I'm a thousand times yours A thousand times mine And I want a thousand more Oh, until the vanishing point And baby, not a moment before You're a thousand times mine And I am a thousand yours A thousand yours Spectacular blacklight poster neon sky To which the sun so quickly unsubscribes Wanna call it a night But I think they might be onto us Oh, until the vanishing point And baby, not a moment before You're a thousand times mine And I am a thousand yours A thousand yours A thousand yours Mystery Girl In my mind, I've acquired a tangle I can't undo I've been thinking about nothing else Lately Does it feel as if somebody's keeping an eye on you Peripheral visions Playing tricks on me 'Been meaning to say I just wanna be where you are Before you escape Hush now, don't explain Wound up with a heavier heart From waiting in the rain Pardon me, baby But who's the mystery girl Don't you try to calm me down Don't you try to calm me down Pardon me, baby But who's the mystery girl Mystery girl Was it just you and her Did you go in the photo booth Was it loud, was it hot Was it lively enough for you Is she likely to be there if I were to show up soon The little suspicions Clinging onto me 'Been meaning to say I just wanna be where you are Before you escape Hush now, don't explain Wound up with a heavier heart From waiting in the rain Pardon me, baby But who's the mystery girl Don't you try to calm me down Don't you try to calm me down Pardon me, baby But who's the mystery girl Mystery girl And you know that we're growing apart Because you planted the seeds yourself And you know that we're growing apart Because you planted the seeds yourself Don't you try to calm me down Don't you try to calm me down Don't you try to calm me down Don't you try to calm me down
The Archer
Soft Currents Seven years I've had seven years of bad luck And I'm just fine Happiness I find happiness in the wrong places Every time My fate is at the hands of my mistakes And that's alright All the tears All the tears I've shed, love And I'm still crying Happiness I find happiness in the wrong places Every time My fate is at the hand of my mistakes And that's alright My fate is in your hand Without you even trying My fate is at the hands of my mistakes And that's alright Saving Grace Saving grace Come here to betray me again She'd never say a thing That she don't mean again I'm waiting here for the lioness to come And have a feast I cannot say that it is a place that I Have run near Saving grace Come here to petrify me She's not an angel, my dear She is a beast Saving grace Come here to take you from me again She'd never say a thing That she don't mean again Saving grace Saving grace Saving grace Saving grace Crying All the Time My death, it haunts him like a ship Without a sail I know I'll be gone soon But just for him, I will prevail He doesn't like it when I cry (Cry, cry, cry) He doesn't like it when I cry (Cry, cry, cry) He doesn't like it when I cry (Cry, cry, cry) And now he's gone, so I'm crying all the time Crying all the time Crying all the time My death, it taunts me like a ship Without a sail I know I'll be gone soon But just for him, I will prevail He doesn't like it when I cry (Cry, cry, cry) He doesn't like it when I cry (Cry, cry, cry) He doesn't like it when I cry (Cry, cry, cry) And now he's gone, so I'm crying all the time Crying all the time Crying all the time Crying all the time He doesn't like it when I cry (Cry, cry, cry) He doesn't like it when I cry (Cry, cry, cry) He doesn't like it when I cry (Cry, cry, cry) And now he's gone, so I'm crying all the time Howl It's a little dangerous When you come treading by me Hide and seek delirium Where do you think you'll find me Hold a little tighter, boy, 'cause I Am falling from behind Walk a little lighter, boy, 'cause I Can't get you off my mind Howl It's a little peculiar Cold sweats off dripping down my bed Transatlantic barrier Trust falling right into my death Hold a little tighter, boy, 'cause I Am falling from behind Walk a little lighter, boy, 'cause I Can't get you off my mind Howl Can't get you off my mind Howl Handsome dictator of my crimes I can't tell if they're yours, I can't tell if they're mine Sweet revelation bitter wine I'm dreaming but mostly I'm feeling behind Hold a little tighter, boy, 'cause I Am falling from behind Walk a little lighter, boy, 'cause I Can't get you off my mind Howl Howl Send Her Back Life must go on Spite it all, you've been guilty Last kiss, hold your horses Why don't you send her back where she came from Why don't you send her back where she came from Why don't you send her back where she came from Why don't you send her back where she came from How could you do it, baby How could you do it, baby Why don't you send her back Can't Help Myself Soft kiss, my baby wanted it I could sense it from a mile away He wants a bit of this sweet melancholy and He can get it any time of day 'Cause nothing else can satisfy him Oh, oh, I can't help myself Something comes over me Baby, whenever you are around Light dims as he walks my way I've been running for a reason I could never retain Sweet lips like pink lemonade When he's feeling generous he's gonna give me a taste 'Cause nothing else can satisfy me Oh, oh, I can't help myself Something comes over me Baby, whenever you are around Oh, oh, I can't help myself Something comes over me Baby, whenever you are around Oh, oh, I can't help myself Something grabs hold of me Baby, whenever you are around The Phantom Fell in love as a lone disciple His altar at the root of my fate Fell in love on a lonely night Could predict every word he'd never convey What did you say A promise broke, an empty room How could you do this to me? I fell in love alone All alone at his golden temple A dusting of crumb falls at his feet From the time when my greedy mantle I've come here to take my crackerjack tree What did you say A promise broke, an empty room How could you do this to me I fell in love alone I feel a phantom pain I feel a phantom break What did you say A promise broke, an empty room How could you do this to me I fell in love alone
Bad Disease His jacket calls me with obsidian blade He's got a knack for spittin' blood over red lipstick stains I drank the venom from the cobra 'round his neck Made it my life mission to feel that again He's got a bad disease, no, no I think it's rubbin' off on me, no, no He's got spider silk hands I think I've fallen into them The ground he walks upon resigns to dust Pandemonium quivers at his touch My preacher, my undefined creature Consumes me He's got a bad disease, no, no I think it's rubbin' off on me, no, no He's got spider silk hands I think I've fallen into them And my infection is the hand on my lower back I have exacted that he's got something that I lack Oh, the power of the man with the switchblade comb He always says, "I couldn't manage you on my own" He's got a bad disease, no, no I think it's rubbin' off on me, no, no He's got spider silk hands I think I've fallen into them But You The wilted edge of a lonesome mattress I lay my head there until the feeling passes It's sinking in just as time relapses I hope that you can feel it 'Cause nobody else can heal it but you Baby, but you Baby, but you Baby, but you Speak soft, speak sly now, honey It feels a little empty in the night now, honey Drift back, drift right down on me I know that you can feel it 'Cause nobody else can heal it but you Baby, but you Baby, but you Baby, but you Baby, but you Baby, but you Baby, but you The Archer The earth went ahead And shook itself apart the very moment I laid eyes on you I took some pleasure at the burning of the cross before And heaven couldn't be so true You ate me right up You spit me back out You bit my head right off with your tiny little mouth I licked the blood from your lips Don't need to tell you but your arrow's made of stars And the shot that you've made punched it straight into my heart It's a little ignorant but everybody's saying That forever is the place where you and I were made You ate me right up You spit me back out You bit my head right off with your tiny little mouth I licked the blood from your lips You ate me right up You spit me back out You bit my head right off with your tiny little mouth And I licked the blood from your lips
Non Albums Tracks
Big Jet Plane (Angus and Julia Stone / Live) She said "hello mister, please to meet you" I wanna hold her, I wanna kiss her She smelled of daisies, smelled of daisies She drive me crazy, drive me crazy Gonna take her for a ride on a big jet plane Gonna take her for a ride on a big jet plane Be my lover, my lady river Can I take you, take you higher Gonna take her for a ride on a big jet plane Gonna take her for a ride on a big jet plane Hey hey hey Gonna hold you, gonna kiss you in my arms Gonna take you away from harm Gonna take her for a ride on a big jet plane Away from harm Gonna take her for a ride on a big jet plane Gonna take her for a ride on a big jet plane Gonna take her for a ride on a big jet plane Hey hey hey
Bright Flame (Dark Tea feat. Alexandra Savior) In my heart I wanted you But in my heart I know the truth For a rise to fall You let the shipwreck, you felt it all Without the burden of this game Scorched hand from this bright flame A crane's slow flight around a star A collie's answer is to bark For a rise to fall You let the shipwreck, you felt it all For a rise to fall You let the shipwreck, you felt it all
Providence Sky (Dark Tea feat. Alexandra Savior) The air's alright Providence sky I breathe it all for you In my mind's eye I feel the tide I wanted it through and through Hop in the car and look for you In the dark i knew the truth Sit on the bed and watch the news Motivation in light of the moon The air's alright Providence sky I breathe it all for you In my mind's eye I feel the tide I wanted it through and through Follow the signs and watch the 'cuse Pick a number you already choose If these are my last words to you Let the barking have attitude
Risk (True Detective OST) There's a color running through your blood Such a hasty shade of blonde You're that awful sort of dangerous Kind that keeps me hanging on Darkness does appear when I can see the secrets hangin' 'round your neck When we're shirtless, assessing the risk Prick your finger on a kiss Tell no one about it They don't need to know I'd chalk a line around it If I could let you go Keep me quiet, honey And I promise to Tell no one about you Trap the passion, baby, lock the trunk Catch the keys and hit the road Went to sleep hungover, woke up drunk Baby shake that aspirin snowglobe Darkness does appear when I'll present you with a temporary fix My accomplice, this bottomless pit It's 'bout as deep as it could get Tell no one about it They don't need to know I'd chalk a line around it If I could let you go Keep me quiet, honey And I promise to Tell no one about you The reflection In the cold You're on the run Things got me wonderin' How the sun came up before Tell no one about it They don't need to know I'd chalk a line around it If I could let you go Keep me quiet, honey And I promise to Tell no one about you
Someone Like You (Adele cover / Live) I heard that you're settled down That you found a girl and you're married now I heard that your dreams came true Guess she gave you things I didn't give to you Old friend, why are you so shy It ain't like you to hold back Or hide from the light I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it I had hoped you'd see my face And that you'd be reminded that for me, it isn't over Nevermind, I'll find someone like you I wish nothing but the best for you too Don't forget me, I beg, I remember you say "Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead" You'd know how the time flies Only yesterday was the time of our lives We were born and raised in a summer haze Bound by the surprise of our glory days I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it I'd hoped you'd see my face And that you'd be reminded that for me, it isn't over Nevermind, I'll find someone like you I wish nothing but the best for you too Don't forget me, I beg, I remember you say "Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead" Nothing compares, no worries or cares Regrets and mistakes they're memories made Who would have known how bitter sweet this would taste Nevermind, I'll find someone like you I wish nothing but the best for you too Don't forget me, I beg, I remember you say "Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead" Nevermind, I'll find someone like you I wish nothing but the best for you too Don't forget me, I beg, I remember you say "Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead" "Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead", yeah, yeah
We're Just Making It Worse (Cameron Avery Featuring Alexandra Savior) And I don't wanna believe it So don't, don't let me see it When you're with him And I won't bring her Let's not make it worse Let's give ourselves some time… To start again And I don't know what your papa taught you But, honey, don't, don't you be cruel Don't let me see you with her And I won't bring him Don't make this a thing Let's give ourselves some time… To start again Our mistakes and choices we make Or chances we take Without thinking it through It wasn't me, neither you No, this ain't a thing I'm just tryin' to begin, again But don't come here with him And I could have played it better I kind of wish that I never met her But don't hold hands with him And you don't with her Let's not make it worse Let's give ourselves some time To start again… And I know that it's only dancing But don't let me see you romancing 'Cause I'm only human I can't play it cool when I know there's something still there I know you still care I know she can't hold you like I can Honey, I'm your man, you know that I am You just gotta take me back for good If only you would But I'm here with him And I am with her We're just making it worse We're just making it worse We're just making it worse