emma jane
Album: Penilee Songs
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 12
Website: www.emmajaneofficial.com

I first came across Glaswegian singer-songwriter emma jane or Emma Jane as she was back then, in 2007 when I reviewed an early EP from her and damned impressive it was two. In fact her track "Carter Cash" became the Fatea track of the year for that year.

I've subsequently heard a number of her releases as she's built on her promise. Since 2007 she's experimented with a few variations along a country, rockabilly, skiffle generally retro sounds as well as working with number of different musicians, to try and find the right sound. Well with "Penilee Songs" it would be fair to say that she has found her sound and it's absolutely glorious, blow your socks off glorious.

Now a four piece, Emma Jane having been joined by lead guitarist and occasional lead vocalist Iain McKinnon, bass player Davie Kerr and drummer Johnny Hall, emma jane have a sound that just stops you dead in your tracks as you desperately try to work out where it comes from.

The opening track "Simple Days" is the track that unlocks the album and I've always been a sucker for an album with a story. It's based on an old tape of a 1959 new year's eve party where Emma's relatives had gathered for a traditional celebration that included a lot of home entertainment making, singing and playing instruments and persuading Emma's gran a former pub and navy band singer to do a few numbers.

From there the album launches into a further eleven riff laden tracks of relationships, drinking and days where there was simply less clutter in people's lives and they spoke to each because that was what you did. Through doing that the album references a number of artists, Carter and Cash are obvious, Cash when McKinnon takes over the vocal lead, but you can also hear the likes of Parton, Cline and Millie Jackson in the songs.

Emma Jane's powerful and expressive voice is more than capable of breaking even a statue's heart when it builds up to its spiritual almost gospel best on tracks like "Sunday, Monday Blues" .

"Penilee Songs" is an album that makes you feel a sense of belonging, being there for that someone special, for family and friends through good times and bad. This is an album that emma jane can rightly be proud of because it's so moving.

And there's a rare treat at the end, a hidden/bonus track that sparkles like a real gem, "When My Day Comes". It draws extensively on the traditional shanty "What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor£, but you've never heard it sung like this before. "When My Day Comes" I think it's here.

Neil King