Since her debut album ‘Boundary County’, the songwriting and sound of Eilen Jewell has steadily evolved from dusty roads and open spaces into a grittier and edgier style – it obviously suits her vocals and band as this new disc stands alongside ‘Sea of Tears’ as being the best of career.
Here the whole atmosphere has real drama and darkness, it’s presented in a classic almost film-noir style with dark characters, locations and a claustrophobic atmosphere that give the disc a unique feel.
She’s kept the same core band of Jason Beek (drums), Johnny Sciascia (upright bass) and the amazing guitarist Jerry Miller – there are fewer rip-roaring solos from Miller here but the atmospheric playing is exceptional. What is different in the personnel on the disc is that here she brings in a few extra players including Zoe Muth and Big Sandy (vocals) and adds fiddle, organ and saxophones in places. It all adds colour and depth to create an album that has a much variety as it does character.
Opening and closing with two instrumentals the album covers a huge amount of musical ground, from fiddle-driven country (‘Reckless’), slow laid back numbers (‘I Remember You’), right through to an early R&B sound (‘Hooked’). It’s all presented with real confidence and she and her excellent band convince at every turn.
Track listing
1 Radio City
2 I Remember You
3 Queen of the Minor Key
4 That's Where I'm Going
5 Sante Fe
6 Warning Signs
7 Reckless
8 Over Again
9 Bang Bang Bang
10 Hooked
11 Only One
12 Long Road
13 Home to me
14 Kalimotxo
review 3 May 2011
