JOLIE HOLLAND - Wine Dark Sea

Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Country | Heft: Jahrgang 2014, eclipsed Nr. 162 / 7-8-2014 | VÖ-Jahr: 2014 | Wertung: 8.5/10 | Label: Anti | Autor: WS


The exceptional American musician Jolie Holland is busy writing her very own "Female American Songbook". "Wine Dark Sea" is particularly successful. In the proto-blues of "On And On" the Fender electric guitar creaks just as brilliantly as in Neil Young. The voice is most reminiscent of Beth Hart (who would stand for the soul of "The Love You Gave" and the blues of "Palm Wine Drunkard" as well), but Holland operates more like Lou Reed or Tom Waits ("Out On The Wine Dark Sea" could even be a cover of him). "First Sign Of Spring" tells his story with a pleading voice to wonderfully accentuated bar piano, deep cello, finely woven guitars and hi-hat-driven rhythm. Anyone who plays such heart-rending music reaches the heavens of the "bad girls", who, as is well known, go further than the good ones. "Dark Days" are pure rustic guitar eruptions. The "Route 30" is therefore walked with a whistle on its lips. The story is told with unusual noises, lots of ambient sound and always the right blues in voice and soul. And "All The Love" is a wonderful reminder of Jackson Browne. Excellent.

Top track: Pam Wine Drunkard

Back to overview