Crow and Gazelle, the musical partnership of Mike McClure and Chrislyn Lawrence, released their debut album "As Above Now So Below" on April 26, 2024. The duo’s work centers on themes of love, healing, and personal growth.
“Love and healing are at the center of the songs that Crow and Gazelle create,” according to American Songwriter. The project is described as a hymnodic collaboration born from the connection between two people experiencing healing and growth together. Their music features close harmonies and sparse acoustic instrumentation.
“This project is all about seizing the moment to become more alive and to honor what is evolving within us—to use our voices in harmony to impart healing and to offer love out into a world which is so torn apart. That is why and how this all started,” said Crow and Gazelle.
Twangville praised the album as “a plea to not give up in the face of what seems like overwhelming odds. Take just one more breath, do just one more thing, and that’s the first step to healing…It’s beautiful, and poignant.”
Americana Highways noted: “The duo knows how to use spare instrumentation in a creative powerful manner without being bombastic… Mike’s deep voice is a sharp contrast to the angelic tones of Chrislyn. Therein lies the attraction that is the elixir of their repertoire.”
Mike McClure has been a significant figure in the Oklahoma Red Dirt Country scene, producing records for artists such as Turnpike Troubadours, Kaitlin Butts, Jason Boland, and Cross Canadian Ragweed. Chrislyn Lawrence has worked behind-the-scenes in various support roles before stepping into performance alongside McClure.
Their connection dates back to 2003 when they met at a concert near Fort Worth, TX. Despite an initial bond described as an “instant ancient connection,” circumstances kept them apart until they reconnected by chance in 2018.
Chrislyn reflected on her journey: “I never really allowed myself to take the spotlight before... What happened when Mike and I got together was pure and expansive; our love gave me more courage to be seen and heard in a much bigger way.”
The name Crow and Gazelle emerged serendipitously during their early days of dating when Chrislyn drew tarot cards representing each of them—one crow for Mike and one gazelle for herself.
“I’ve always been fascinated by crows... I’m like a crow in my nature... Chrislyn is like the gazelle in every way—straight line, fast, certain,” said McClure.
The album's title references an axiom from an ancient Greek Hermetic text: “As above, so below; as below, so above.” For Crow and Gazelle, it signifies that transforming traumas can reconnect individuals with divinity.
“Our mission is to deconstruct the idea of separateness… we are not separate from divinity... We are everything, and we are infinite,” they explained.
Raised in conservative towns where religion was foundational but often limiting for women’s voices, both artists have drawn inspiration from their ongoing deconstruction of these messages. Their songs reflect traditional religious imagery while seeking openness within for meaning.
Through thirteen songs filled with joyfulness yet tinged with sorrowful reflection, "As Above Now So Below" walks listeners through darkness towards redemption. As expressed in their song "Blackbird," Crow and Gazelle aim to remind listeners: “I will walk beside you; you don’t have to be alone.”
Chrislyn emphasized their live performances: “Our coming together has created a whole new path for us both... It’s more than just two people in a band... I think our music... reflects human potential – allowing full range emotions held by another’s understanding.”
Crow and Gazelle continue honoring this cosmic contract through their music.