Alongside AMY WINEHOUSE’s career and untimely death, rootsy, retro chic artists such as ADELE and DUFFY have been haemorraging from both sides of the Atlantic, to huge international success.
It would be easy to categorize AUDRA MAE into this envelope, her JANIS JOPLIN-esque croons and sparse musical arrangements certainly share a common ancestry with WINEHOUSE, namely the folk singers of yesteryear such as JONI MITCHELL and BONNIE RAITT. Yet unlike her female retro-rock counter parts, the retro feel isn’t just a production gloss over what are otherwise standard pop tunes.
The new self titled EP is frankly one of the most refreshing folk releases in recent memory – AUDRA MAE espouses the contemporary wave of female folk singers, such as JOANNA NEWSOM, eclipsing their delicate, pretty tunes with a giant dollop of gritty, bluesy folk rock.
The tracks really stomp with infectious grooves and are sparsely but tastefully filled out by her band The Almighty Sound. which differentiates her from the Adele herd – the album is well produced and the band really gets a chance to shine. Album highlight ‘Ten Cent Pistol’ is inventively put together, featuring harmonized twin guitar melodies right out of the THIN LIZZY songbook. Unlike the majority of rock releases, the album’s mix is unafraid to be quiet and nuanced as well as rocking and loud.
Of course, the focal point of the EP is Audra’s voice, which has a rich, gritty timbre. She is able to emote beautifully and conjure enormous wails and croons from her larynx, at some points sounding like a castrati ROBERT PLANT. The songs themselves are well written, gleefully down-and-dirty tales of youthful rebellion, stories of shady characters and dodgy goings on. The lyric is somewhat reminiscent of how AC/DC might sound if they learnt some nuance. And bought a thesaurus.
On the whole, this is a hugely fun listen, which is best enjoyed with a bottle of cheap bourbon and a cowboy film or two.
SCOTT MASSON