Jane Allison
Like Magdalene
Horus Music
Highly Talented and Americana Influenced British Bedsit Country-Folk.
This is odd; I was 99% sure I’d reviewed Jane’s album Just Another Girl, but can’t find it in our archives …… oops, if I didn’t!
Whatever; that was the past and LIKE MAGDALENE is not just the present; but in some ways the future too.
For the uninitiated this young lady from the rather lovely town of Aberystwyth in Wales; seamlessly and charmingly straddles the Folk and Americana spheres with ease, with barely a trace of her natural accent in her singing voice; which will surely give songs like the torrid and dour opener Don’t Spill The Water; which has more than a hint of Rust Belt Americana to it; most especially in the breathy and breathless chorus; making it ideal for Roots Radio everywhere.
Like so few of her peers; Jane isn’t afraid to wear her influences on her sleeve; with the emotional Shower of Stars and Kiss of Peace sounding uncannily like adaptations of something Leonard, Joni or RMHQ Favourite, Gretchen Peters may have written; but not actually released ….. but; no … these are from the pen of Ms. Allison herself.
Alonza Bevan’s production make’s Jane’s crystal clear voice and fascinating songs shine throughout; dipping in and out of 60’s bedsit melancholia that relationships of all types can bring; with ease on If I Was Famous, Banks of the Landwehrkanal and Summer Wind; but never allowing this album to sound even the merest hint of depressing; these songs will appeal to anyone and everyone who knows what ‘darkness’ feels like; but there will always be light at the end of that particular tunnel; and here it’s in the shape of the powerful title track Like Magdalene, the delightful Shower of Stars and especially High Road (when the shadow of Joni circa Blue encapsulates every word).
Then, there is one other song that captured not just my imagination when I first heard it; but my heart too.
It’s been a tough old 18 months for everyone; and I’ve not been immune to my own ‘black clouds’ especially recently; and while I’ve tried to blank them out somewhat with Tamla Motown and/or loud Indie Music; nothing speaks to more than a song from someone who ‘has been there’ and I can only presume Jane Allison has; as Frayed with its massive peaks and troughs will touch many another soul as it has mine; therefore making it my Favourite Song on a rather exceptional album.
I guess if I were to ‘pick at the seams’ I would hear the Celtic influences of Jane’s roots; but to me this is quite simply as good British take on ‘Americana’ (which knows no boundaries!) as I’ve heard in years; in fact it’s so damn good, you would be mistaken for thinking Jane Allison was Canadian!
Released June 12th 2021
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The Rocking Magpie 