Album title: Life Love Flesh Blood
Artist: Imelda May
Genre: Soft Rock/Soul/Jazz
Nationality: Irish
Release date: April 21
Position in Discography: Fifth
Estimated Rating:
Familiar with this artist? I've heard one album and hated it
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.30
I must admit, when this kicks off it's a far cry from
Mayhem, the other album of hers that I heard. Much more restrained, much softer and more gentle. She also collaborates with the legendary T Bone Burnett on this album. Not only that, but guitar legend Jeff Beck lends his inimitable talents to “Black Tears”, which is a beautiful bluesy ballad, and by the way Frown, Marc Ribot is on every track here too. Sadly, Bono gets a namecheck - “mentoring and guidance”: Jesus Christ!
- but this has started really really well, much better than I had expected. She really gets to let her voice loose on “Should've Been You”, a good mid-tempo rocker and “Human” has a very country feel to it; I'd possibly rate it as one of the standouts on the album.
Mind you, it might have to share that honour with “How Bad Can a Good Girl Be”, a real smoky, sensual, smouldering (and lots of other adjectives beginning with s) ballad and then there's the superlative gospel of “When It's My Time”, on which Jools Holland from Squeeze guests. Some people will probably point out similarities between Imelda and Lana, but the Irishwoman was here first. Like, almost a decade before her. I'd have to say, we should be proud of Imelda May: it's rare that a talent like this comes out of our small country.
Check out more from this artist? Yes
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes
Actual Rating:
