Emma Pollock- In Search Of Harperfield
Trying to recover psychologically from witnessing the Saturday Night Live Kanye fiasco this past Saturday night, I needed to listen to some music that could possibly erase that bad memory.
Mission accomplished. Over the past few weeks I have been listening to tons of music from across the pond in the UK. There is quite the new music scene over there, producing some of the best music I鈥檝e heard in years.
One new album that grabbed my full attention is the third solo effort from the Scottish singer songwriter, Emma Pollock.
鈥淚n Search Of Harperfield鈥� is the singer鈥檚 third album in nine years, and five years since her previous brilliant album, and I must say, this new one is her best.
Pollock is an incredibly talented songwriter and it is her lyrics that are the star here. Wonderfully dark and scary at times, the words pair perfectly with her perky punchy vocals allowing the songs to dance into your brain making it quiver from delight.
鈥淒on鈥檛 Make Me Wait鈥� sets the mood early on with the steady beat and exquisite input from a string quartet. A song so simply smooth, yet complex and velvety.
The violin and cello played throughout the somber 鈥淚ntermission鈥� create a creepy mood that will leave you breathless. Ironically placed halfway through the album, the song truly is an intermission of sorts, and a great place to catch your breath for the gems to come.
The song getting the most airplay on the British Isle, is 鈥淧arks And Recreation鈥�, a guitar laden hit that will make you run out of the forest in panic mode. Pollock sings 鈥淚 came down for a game of basketball, but you threw me a punch instead鈥�. Got to love it! Sorry Kanye, that line right there is better than your entire repertoire.
Containing not a bad song in the 11 song set, Pollack methodically builds up to the final four songs that are four of the best songs I鈥檝e heard this year so far.
鈥淚n The Company Of The Damned鈥� highlights Pollack鈥檚 more than adequate guitar playing. 鈥淒ark Skies鈥� with its sparse instrumentation pushes to the foreground Pollock鈥檚 vocals that sparkle in a melodic brilliance.
Then now we are off to the final two, wow, the final two. 鈥淢onster In The Pack鈥� has it all. The steady drone of a cello blending in with Pollock鈥檚 voice is hair raising to say the least. She has a special certain way to present her lyrics that is rare and is something special to witness.
The album ends with 鈥淥ld Ghosts鈥�, a sonically dark offering that is my pick for song of the year. I love the sound of her voice as she paints a vocal picture of maturity and life experiences that she leaves dangling on her sleeve for all to see. Brilliant!
There now, that bad Kanye experience has faded from my mind now. Thank you Emma Pollock.
