Jess Morgan
Album: Aye Me
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 13
Website: http://www.jessmorgan.co.uk

Prior to hearing her second album "Aye Me ", I was not familiar with the music of Jess Morgan .I had not heard her first album "All Swell " [she's obviously fond of puns] even though she has played support to the likes of Teddy Thompson, Megson and LAU.

I'm really glad that have "discovered" Jess's music because it is a real find. Jess hails from Norwich, I believe, but it could just as easily be Nashville as her music is a delightful amalgam of folk, Americana and blues. She has all the necessary ingredients, a distinctive, bluesy voice; crystal clear guitar style and the ability to write interesting and engaging songs. Supporters of Jess's music include songwriter Nicky Chinn and DJ Steve Lamacq.

The album begins with a short but sweet instrumental "Heads of the Valley Road " which is followed by the first song "Workhouse", which is the sad tale of a poor woman who has to give her child to the workhouse in the hope that he will be adopted by a wealthy couple .The woman is "Regretful for Ever I'll Be for My Boy in the Workhouse".

Another excellent story-song is "The Thompson Family Singers " which is about the wealthy Thompson Family who take in a poor singer to join their family singing group. They tour round the country with " no rest for the wicked" but tragedy strikes when Mr. Thompson and his family are cursed by a peddler woman . The curse is fulfilled when Mr. Thompson dies and a mystery disease " Spreads from Thompson Child to Child " until the narrator is the only survivor and she returns to her mother. A really tremendous song and my personal favourite on the album.

"Leave a Light On" is about the hard life of a fruit picker ,which has the feel of a Woody Guthrie Dustbowl Ballad.

"A Musket of My Own" sounds like a traditional English ballad about a woman who extracts her revenge on a soldier who tries to con her. You can guess how she gets her revenge [the title has a clue in it]. A really excellent performance both vocally and instrumentally.

There are several light-hearted songs to contrast with the aforementioned tragedies. "The Most of All" is about a woman who has an unrequited crush on a bespectacled man who works in the library [" I Dig that Facial Furniture"] but she is not allowed in the library as she has not paid her book fines.

In another song, Jess rails against "Well Dressed Fellas" who are "Rotten to the Core" and warns against "Men in Little Fancy Pants".

I agree entirely with Steve Lamacq's comment that " Every so often you come across a little gem like this". This certainly is a "little gem" of an album.

Peter Cowley