“Lyrically, that song is about the last night on earth you spend with those closest to you,” Danner explains. The album’s thematic centerpoint “Way,” a poignant song about the urgency of finding meaning in life before it’s too late, evolved slowly over time and-like many of the tracks on Planet X-gradually took shape through each iteration she created. “I started working on Planet X shortly after I finished recording my first album while living in Seattle, and was writing these songs up until the moment we were in the booth recording them,” says Danner, who ultimately shaped the album with her band at five studios in three cities over the course of a year (Tornillo, TX’s Sonic Ranch, Seattle’s Dandelion Gold, and Brooklyn’s Figure 8, Circular Ruin, and Strange Weather Studios). With the help of doom metal producer Randall Dunn-known for collaborating with iconic bands such as Sunn O))), Earth, and more recently Marissa Nadler, Shame, and Pallbearer-Danner and her talented cadre of multi-instrumentalists (Shahzad Ismaily, Monika Khot, Abbey Blackwell, and Veronica Dye) pushed themselves to the outer reaches of their creative comfort zones, while discovering the deeper meaning of each song along the way. There is peace and healing to be found in the process.” So, I can understand my traumas in a similar way,” she adds of the cathartic and formative experience of creating Planet X. I use my music to cope, and I make it as experiential as possible to remind myself that each performance or song is an opportunity to do something once without ever repeating it. “We all inevitably face our own unique pain. Through creating the album, the Los Angeles-based songwriter was able to find purpose in the face of life’s frightening fragility, and craft her most beautiful and touching songs to date. He began to slowly pull on the ribbon.“Every little mortality check brings more meaning to life,” says Emma Danner of the attitude shaping Planet X, her second LP as Red Ribbon and debut for Danger Collective Records. Bill carefully pinched the ends of the bow on the ribbon. I think it's about time I found out why."īill got out of bed and walked around to Sally's side. But she insists on wearing that horrible red ribbon around her neck. "I've loved Sally for more than twenty years. "Why?" Bill asked, as he had for so many years. "But I must never take off my red ribbon." Sally gently placed the diamond necklace back in the velvet box and closed the lid. She said, "I must never take off my red ribbon!" Bill sat back in his seat with a huff. Bill put the necklace around her neck and started to take off the red ribbon. She opened it, smiled, and tears came to her eyes. Then Bill gave Sally a velvet box with a beautiful diamond necklace in it. Bill took Sally to a fancy restaurant overlooking Central Park. She will take off that old red ribbon so she can wear the beautiful necklace!" He loved Sally with all of his heart, but did not understand her need to wear the red ribbon.īilly gave Sally a new necklace for their anniversary.Īfter many years, Bill had an idea. The red ribbon had frustrated Bill for a long time. Sally would gently take his little hands in hers and coo at him, saying, "Mommy must never ever take off her red ribbon!" When little Billy was a baby, he would sometimes reach for the red ribbon around his mother's neck. "Do you want to hold little Billy?" Sally asked.īill, Sally, and little Billy lived happily for many years in the small, lovely house in the nice neighborhood. "And thank you for telling the doctor I must not take off my red ribbon."īill did not understand why the red ribbon was so important. "Thank you for the flowers, Bill," Sally said. But he promised Sally that he would tell the doctor.Īfter the baby was born, Bill gave Sally flowers. When the big day came, Sally said, "Please tell the doctor I must not take off my red ribbon!"īill was frustrated. They talked together late into the night about what they had learned from everyone. Bill talked with his buddies who had children. Sally talked with her friends who had babies. Sally just smiled and said, "I must never take off my red ribbon."Īfter a few years, Sally found out she was going to have a baby. But Sally always wore her red ribbon with each outfit. Bill found a lovely little house in a nice neighborhood and they moved in.īill bought Sally many party dresses. Sally said, "Bill, I must never take off my red ribbon!"īill smiled at Sally and left the ribbon alone.īill and Sally were married that June. "Why do you always wear that red ribbon?" Bill asked. Sally laughed and said, "Yes! I will marry you."Īs Bill gazed lovingly at his bride-to-be, his eyes lingered on the red velvet ribbon Sally always wore around her neck. "Sally," Bill said, "you are the most beautiful girl I've ever met. Bill settled Sally back down onto the park bench. Bill saw Sally coming down the path towards him.