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Album Reviews
Album Review: Essie Jain – The Inbetween (The Leaf Label)
By Marc Samuels | Published on Monday 17 November 2008
If there was one label you wouldn’t have bet on releasing an album of Joni Mitchell-esque piano-led chamber pop, it would be Leaf, but ‘The Inbetween’ is not only one of the experimental label’s most accessible releases, it’s also one of their best. Essie Jain is a New York based Londoner with a pristine and versatile voice, who works with a variety of musicians who give colour to her vocals with simple but eclectic instrumentation. Opener ‘Eavesdrop’ is actually the best thing here – an impossibly tender ballad built around a plaintive piano refrain and Jain’s expressive crystalline vocals. Variety immediately follows: ‘Here We Go’ is upbeat and stirring whilst ‘I Ask You’ is a lonesome bluesy retreat with wintry guitar from Patrick Glynn. ‘The Rights’, meanwhile is a positively theatrical delight. Accomplished songwriting and evocative arrangements all make ‘The Inbetween’ a magical listen at times. Recommended. MS
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