Dark Undercoat

About

✪ Emily Jane White -- Dark Undercoat ✪ Listening to Dark Undercoat, it's difficult to believe that Emily Jane White once fronted various college punk and metal band. The frenetic energy that fuels both those genres is totally at odds with the incredibly languorous feel of this set, as White whiles away her time moodily musing, mostly accompanied only by her acoustic guitar or piano. Dark Undercoat, her debut, is awash in dark undercurrent, and tinged with a deeply affecting melancholy, somewhat reminiscent of Nick Drake, which Wainwright Hewlett's superb engineering and production enhance. The sound is underlit with a glowing warmth, the quiet atmospheres subtly acquiring surprising depth, while a sublime intimacy is spun around the entire set. White's dusky, lilting alto conjures up its own spell, as do the simple but artful arrangement. Guitar strumming songs like Dagger and Time on Your Side illustrate the artist's deep connections to the folk scene, but others have a western bend, foremost among them Sleeping Dead. In contrast, the magnificent Bessie Smith and Hole in the Middle sing the blue. Bessie Smith and the title track make inspired use of cello, fabulous work from multi-instrumentalist Muir. Bass and drums intensify a number of song, while White's concert piano skills are highlighted on a pair of track, with her supple guitar showcased across the entire set. The music is mesmerizing throughout, moody palettes over which the singer paints pictures of love and lo, and the detritus of dashed hopes and dreams: "a trail of ashes" left behind by soured romance. Like the Marlboro Man, White's men are strong and silent type, many Wild Tigers only half-tamed, a few straw men whose strong facades hide their own insecuritie. The themes are universal, while her lyrics resonate strongly, abetted by a sprinkling of Biblical reference. All told, an inspired album whose atmospheres smolder on long after the music end. Credits Wainwright Hewlett -- Engineer, Mastering, Mixing .

via Last.fm

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