Music Review: Emmy the Great - First Love

My heart has been utterly charmed by Emmy the Great. I'm smitten, beguiled and completely disarmed. The debut 'First Love' is beautiful, clear, quirky, poignant and a treat in every way imaginable. I'd go further and say the album is just exactly how romantic indie-folky, funky twiddly-dee stuff should sound. It has all the joy of flying kites high into the blue sky and you can get lost listening to each song soar.

Emmy herself has been doing the rounds for a while touring with folks like Martha Wainwright and Tilly and the Wall, not to mention singing away in various festivals and gigs around the indie underground. This album has, by all accounts, had a long gestation period, it's none the worst for it.

Emmy's voice trips along witty lyrics sounding for all the world like a happy version of Laura Marlin - she has the same clarity and the same instantly beautiful voice that makes tuneless people like me green with envy. Then again if you're going to bestow upon yourself the epithet of 'Great' obviously you need some serious gifts, not including modesty - modesty won't pay gas bills. Every band member compliments Emmy, bringing forth songs that crackle with talent. The album affects a carefree air yet there is undeniable depth and skill behind the arrangements; unsurprisingly all band members are involved in their own projects.

As far as the songs go 'We Almost Had a Baby' (acoustic version available to download free via myspace), '24' and 'First Love' stand out as fresh and deft, but the album is a complete whole and a joy to listen to from beginning to end.

As far as pretty pop music for a spring day, you could do far, far worse.... and I venture that Emmy will be around for a lot longer.