Emily O'Halloran is another young lady from the land down under.
And she has a voice, what a voice.
Last year she released this amazing album which somehow I missed out on. Morphine and Cupcakes.
Well better late than never, this is some beautiful laid back vocals.
Totally amazing.
This album would make a fine companion piece to virtually any album by the Handsome Family.
Remember hearing The Cowboy Junkies for the first time, back in the late ‘80s, and thinking, “Wow, this is some seriously mellow stuff?” We’ve come a long way since then, kids: Australian-born Emily O’Halloran sings a kind of languid, narcotic-tinged country-folk that makes Magro Timmins sound like Courtney Love. This isn’t to say the songs are bad—suffused with longing and quiet hopelessness, they’re not bad at all. Just don’t try to dance to any of them. Or, like, drive a car. Opening track “Kindness” carries echoes of “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” played at half-speed, possibly underwater. O’Halloran sings evocatively, alternating between a hushed breathy whisper and a somewhat less hushed but still plaintive semi-moan. Guitars, bass and keyboards are all mixed down into a swampy murk, out of which O’Halloran’s voice rises, just barely. “Gate Opener” and “Free Man” both show a bit of vocal and musical muscle, but generally, this is introspective rainy day music, for those days when The Cowboy Junkies are just too darn lively. Morphine and cupcakes? Got that right. PopmattersThis is the promo video for the album, made by her sister Tajette.
Morphine And Cupcakesfilmed directed and edited by Tajette O'Halloran
And here's a live version of the aforementioned first track.
KindnessEmily's CD release party for her first CD, "Morphine and Cupcakes".
@ Room 5 Lounge in Los Angeles.9/30/11
Emily O'Halloran, guitar and vocals
Doug Jessop on guitar
Stone Mays on bass
Robert Ford on drums
Rebecca Stout on harmony vocals
John Phinney on pedal steel.
Here's another great video made by her sister.
Glory and Gunpowder
This last song for today is also on the album, but this is a live performance from about two years ago.
FreemanFilmed and Edited by Ravi Subramanian
