Jealous of the Birds |
Parma Violets (May 6th, 2016) |
Jealous of the Birds — Parma Violets (May 6th, 2016)≡Φ≡ Jealous of the Birds, aka Naomi Hamilton release her debut album ‘Parma Violets’ via Big Space Records. Hailing from County Armagh in Northern Ireland, Jealous of the Birds emerged from the vibrant suburban folk scene, alongside acts such as Ciaran Lavery and No Oil Painting. Naomi quietly unleashed her debut EP ‘Capricorn’ in March 2015, where her wonderfully understated bedroom indie–folk won her an ever–growing legion of support. The entire EP is a stunning lo–fi collection of tunes recalling Girlpool, Karen Dalton, Cat Power, Laura Marling and even The Moldy Peaches at times. Describing her music she has said: “My only hope is that the songs sound like a real friend talking.” Keen to move away from a purely folk or singer–songwriter tag, for her debut full–length, Hamilton throws her net wider, moving from bedroom recording to a real studio. With a more extensive range of instrumentation and producer Declan Legge at the helm, the sound is much more sonically expansive and dynamic. Refusing to be pinned down by genre, the tone of each song is contrasting yet complimentary. ‘Parma Violets’ matches introspective indie–folk with fiery post–punk. Beautifully crafted songs have been given contrasting arrangements, veering from stripped–down acoustic guitar to full–band indie–rock anthems, all overlaid by Naomi’s compelling layered vocals. Equal parts light and shade, the songs are poignant and vulnerable, bursting with honesty and raw passion. ‘Parma Violets’ is a startlingly realized offering, poignant and beguiling, the album has a lo–fi organic integrity that is utterly bewitching.
Location: County Armagh in Northern Ireland
Album release: May 6th, 2016
Record Label: Big Space Records
Genre: Indie Rock, Folk
Duration: 39:20
Tracks:
01. Goji Berry Sunset 2:17
02. Parma Violets 3:41
03. Russian Doll 3:16
04. Miss Misanthrope 3:56
05. Trouble In Bohemia 3:17
06. Tonight I Feel Like Kafka 3:09
07. Dandelion 3:05
08. The Zodiac Bar 3:31
09. Powder Junkie 2:09
10. Marcus 1:53
11. Purple Octopus 2:41
12. Mountain Lullaby 3:34
13. Hornet’s Nest 2:57
Description:
≡Φ≡ Jealous of the Birds is the preferred alias of singer–songwriter Naomi Hamilton whose roots in Northern Ireland’s indie folk scene belie the breadth of style she showcases on her debut album. If the press release didn’t stipulate that she hails from Armagh, you could easily swear she was the latest contender to emerge from Portland or Austin, such is the influence of American slacker indie on many of the tracks here.
≡Φ≡ But the core impetus in her songwriting is to convey the honesty and intimacy of ‘a real friend talking’. This she achieves on the spring fresh ‘Goji Berry Sunset’, harmonising with herself in her engaging husky alto — ‘I like the beard, don’t shave it,’ she remarks over a bare guitar accompaniment.
≡Φ≡ Its carefree conversational style contrasts with the soothing sadness of the title track. There is something of Laura Marling’s sage quality in this pleading missive to a suicidal friend though Hamilton’s songwriting is overall less impressionistic and more gauche. She does a fine job of arranging her songs imaginatively within the constraints of her budget. ‘Russian Doll’ is a happy marriage of melodic guitar wrangling and lo–fi punkiness. ‘Powder Junkie’ is carved from the same tradition with its pleasing low–slung groove and keening guitar work, while there’s a hint of darkness on the edge of slackersville on ‘Trouble in Bohemia’.
≡Φ≡ But she moves clear of the garage with the layered, haunting ‘Mountain Lullaby’, featuring a solemn choir of Hamiltons reverberating with the yearning of a female Fleet Foxes. The quavering woodwind and echoey vocal mix of Miss Misanthrope’ sounds like Bon Ivor covering an Oliver Postgate cartoon soundtrack and elsewhere she soups up her songs with eerie analogue electronica and swelling post–rock atmospherics to create a dynamic debut calling card.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeliofthebirds
Also:
By Jonathan Frahm • 6 May 2016
≡Φ≡ http://www.forfolkssake.com/reviews/33472/album-jealous-of-the-birds-parma-violets
Tony Clayton–Lea, Apr. 7, 2016 / Score: ****
≡Φ≡ http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/jealous-of-the-birds-parma-violets-another-musical-gem-from-the-north-1.2601932
Website: http://jealousofthebirdsmusic.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jealous-of-the-birds/goji-berry-sunset
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jealousofthebirdsofficial/
_____________________________________________________________
Jealous of the Birds |
Parma Violets (May 6th, 2016) |
Jealous of the Birds — Parma Violets (May 6th, 2016)≡Φ≡ Jealous of the Birds, aka Naomi Hamilton release her debut album ‘Parma Violets’ via Big Space Records. Hailing from County Armagh in Northern Ireland, Jealous of the Birds emerged from the vibrant suburban folk scene, alongside acts such as Ciaran Lavery and No Oil Painting. Naomi quietly unleashed her debut EP ‘Capricorn’ in March 2015, where her wonderfully understated bedroom indie–folk won her an ever–growing legion of support. The entire EP is a stunning lo–fi collection of tunes recalling Girlpool, Karen Dalton, Cat Power, Laura Marling and even The Moldy Peaches at times. Describing her music she has said: “My only hope is that the songs sound like a real friend talking.” Keen to move away from a purely folk or singer–songwriter tag, for her debut full–length, Hamilton throws her net wider, moving from bedroom recording to a real studio. With a more extensive range of instrumentation and producer Declan Legge at the helm, the sound is much more sonically expansive and dynamic. Refusing to be pinned down by genre, the tone of each song is contrasting yet complimentary. ‘Parma Violets’ matches introspective indie–folk with fiery post–punk. Beautifully crafted songs have been given contrasting arrangements, veering from stripped–down acoustic guitar to full–band indie–rock anthems, all overlaid by Naomi’s compelling layered vocals. Equal parts light and shade, the songs are poignant and vulnerable, bursting with honesty and raw passion. ‘Parma Violets’ is a startlingly realized offering, poignant and beguiling, the album has a lo–fi organic integrity that is utterly bewitching.
Location: County Armagh in Northern Ireland
Album release: May 6th, 2016
Record Label: Big Space Records
Genre: Indie Rock, Folk
Duration: 39:20
Tracks:
01. Goji Berry Sunset 2:17
02. Parma Violets 3:41
03. Russian Doll 3:16
04. Miss Misanthrope 3:56
05. Trouble In Bohemia 3:17
06. Tonight I Feel Like Kafka 3:09
07. Dandelion 3:05
08. The Zodiac Bar 3:31
09. Powder Junkie 2:09
10. Marcus 1:53
11. Purple Octopus 2:41
12. Mountain Lullaby 3:34
13. Hornet’s Nest 2:57
Description:
≡Φ≡ Jealous of the Birds is the preferred alias of singer–songwriter Naomi Hamilton whose roots in Northern Ireland’s indie folk scene belie the breadth of style she showcases on her debut album. If the press release didn’t stipulate that she hails from Armagh, you could easily swear she was the latest contender to emerge from Portland or Austin, such is the influence of American slacker indie on many of the tracks here.
≡Φ≡ But the core impetus in her songwriting is to convey the honesty and intimacy of ‘a real friend talking’. This she achieves on the spring fresh ‘Goji Berry Sunset’, harmonising with herself in her engaging husky alto — ‘I like the beard, don’t shave it,’ she remarks over a bare guitar accompaniment.
≡Φ≡ Its carefree conversational style contrasts with the soothing sadness of the title track. There is something of Laura Marling’s sage quality in this pleading missive to a suicidal friend though Hamilton’s songwriting is overall less impressionistic and more gauche. She does a fine job of arranging her songs imaginatively within the constraints of her budget. ‘Russian Doll’ is a happy marriage of melodic guitar wrangling and lo–fi punkiness. ‘Powder Junkie’ is carved from the same tradition with its pleasing low–slung groove and keening guitar work, while there’s a hint of darkness on the edge of slackersville on ‘Trouble in Bohemia’.
≡Φ≡ But she moves clear of the garage with the layered, haunting ‘Mountain Lullaby’, featuring a solemn choir of Hamiltons reverberating with the yearning of a female Fleet Foxes. The quavering woodwind and echoey vocal mix of Miss Misanthrope’ sounds like Bon Ivor covering an Oliver Postgate cartoon soundtrack and elsewhere she soups up her songs with eerie analogue electronica and swelling post–rock atmospherics to create a dynamic debut calling card.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeliofthebirds
Also:
By Jonathan Frahm • 6 May 2016
≡Φ≡ http://www.forfolkssake.com/reviews/33472/album-jealous-of-the-birds-parma-violets
Tony Clayton–Lea, Apr. 7, 2016 / Score: ****
≡Φ≡ http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/jealous-of-the-birds-parma-violets-another-musical-gem-from-the-north-1.2601932
Website: http://jealousofthebirdsmusic.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jealous-of-the-birds/goji-berry-sunset
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jealousofthebirdsofficial/
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