Emma Hill & Her Gentleman Callers
Meet Me At The Moon
Kuskokwim Records
***
JJ
Pleasant collection of folk tunes with a country feel brought with warmth from Alaska
Just when you hear one Yukon based performer (last month I reviewed Kim Beggs) along comes another one. Twenty Two year old Emma Hill is picking up critical acclaim as she tours her folk inspired songs about love, regret and Leonard Cohen (You’re My Man) around North America and more recently Europe. Her Gentleman Callers are a fine tight knit unit of Bryan Daste – who’s pedal steel and banjo plays a key role, Andrew Nelson, Drums and John Blunk on bass.
This will be Emma’s third album following 2010’s CLUMSY SEDUCTION. For someone so young Emma brings to her songs a mature approach to relationships, which allied to a rather lovely and aching voice, makes this a likeable collection that is easy on the ear.
The title track Meet Me At The Moon documents the difficulties of maintaining a relationship that is ‘One thousand eleven miles…’ apart and carries the line ‘..as you trace my tattoos/I give my entire heart to you’ which tells you that this one should work out. I was drawn to the simple I Don’t Want You Hangin’ Round which tells an oft told tale about the addiction of the demon drink and its consequences in a way that draws you in to the story, as the narrator tries to put temptation, in the form of an unreformed man behind her. Held together with simple strummed guitar, and banjo Emma puts real feeling into the tale.
MEET ME AT THE MOON is a confident offering that is well worth a listen. Delightful vocals allied to some strong songs makes this girl from the far North worth a listen
This review originally appeared in Maverick Magazine www.maverick-country.com
