This Rock

Imagine a folk-rock diva like Sandy Denning (Fairport Convention) joining with a post-punk outfit like X and you've got an idea of the unique style of Jill Lorean's debut release. The Glasgow based trio offers an exquisite sound juxtaposing Jill O'Sullivan's captivating folk inspired vocals against the driving rhythm of Peter Kelly's powerful drumming and Andy Monaghan's omnipresent bass with accents from synths, cello and bone chilling violin work. The result is a sound that is edgy and intriguing without being over the top. To her surprise becoming a mother did not put the kibosh on her creative mojo but instead helped her see the world through a child's innate curiosity and wonder which reflects in the disk's themes about nature & matriarchy or in her words the disk is 'inspired by nature, women, my experience of motherhood and my love for my own mother and the women in my life'.

RIYL: Patti Smith, Sandy Denny, X, Loreena McKinnett

1 Breaking Down - haunting vibe with crystalline vocals over driving drum, bass & fiddle (fast, 3:23)*
2 Mothers - melancholic, spare accompioment allow vocals to shine (med, 4:19)
3 Black Dog - brilliant arrangement with synth, cello, guitar & effects dancing around JO's soaring voice (fast, 6:23)***
4 Kneading - beautifully simple guitar opens builds with guitar & bagpipes (fast, 4:12)**
5 Beekeeper - edgey song about metamorphosis (fast, 3:16)
6 This Rock - haunting vocals over hard driving guitar & drums (fast, 5:09)*
7 Dog-eared Rose - trippy mashup between Celtic folk & post-punk (med, 4:52)**
8 The Robin - alternates between softer vocals hard driving drums & guitar (fast, 4:22)
9 Walls - plaintive, full bore rocker with JO's glass shattering vocals over powerful guitar work (fast, 3:53)**
10 War Lullaby - erie story about a mother explaining war to her daughter (med, 3:05)