Musicians@Google: Rachael Yamagata December 5, 2008

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Singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata visits Google's Mountain View, CA headquarters to perform songs of her new album "Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart" and discuss her songwriting process. This event took place on November 17, 2008, as part of the Musicians@Google series.

Rachael Yamagata has hardly been idle since her acclaimed 2004 full-length debut, Happenstance, and its hit 'Worn Me Down' - her sleepy soul has deepened albums by Bright Eyes and Ryan Adams. But this double album pushes past familiar singer-songwriter fare into bolder regions. Produced largely by Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley, The Faint) and also John Alagia (John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, Happenstance), Elephants is darker and more vulnerable while the more guitar-driven Teeth Sinking Into Heart is grittier and more defiantly cynical. Elephants is a hushed mood piece that's all wet vowels and damaged love; Teeth is filled with rock & roll bite and gloves-off verses. Bright Eyes producer Mike Mogis delivers some of his lushest work ever on cuts like "Sunday Afternoon," helping Yamagata bring drama that smolders more than shouts, and is no less gripping for it.