Emma Russack: ‘Sounds Of Our City’ – Album Review

Emma Russack’s debut album ‘Sounds Of Our City’ tells of her experiences travelling around South America for a year, before moving from her hometown of New South Wales to settle down in Melbourne. Through a collection of stunning songs and with the help of an array of talented Melbourne musicians, Emma has crafted a striking and beautiful debut.

‘Sounds Of Our City’ is a delicate display of lo-fi folk, intimately and honestly delivered by Emma’s elegantly smooth vocals. ‘Tonight’ opens up proceedings with a rich 50s inspired electric guitar and a subtle patter of drums. Emma and her band manage to create an airy atmosphere, which leaves each song with enough room to breathe, and on many occasions expand in its instrumentation; demonstrated brilliantly by the addition of a pedal steel guitar throughout, and a string section that helps to fill out and broaden ‘Reservoir.’ With Kid Sam’s Kieran Ryan also stepping in to give a delicious backing vocal to ‘Friends Not Lovers,’ it seems Emma has found the perfect formula after escaping her jazz influenced debut EP ‘Peasants.’

This wide instrumentation, littered with blues and fold influences helps the album to shine. However when the sound is stripped back to its most delicate moments, the subtlety of some tracks such as ‘I’m A Fool’ hanker for your concentration. This album certainly isn’t leaping out to grab you, instead it offers itself up with a subtle grace that you’ll find yourself having to grab hold of – a detail that could leave some audiences distant and secluded from the rather intimate subject matter.

‘Sounds Of Our City’ may deal with Emma’s personal issues trying to settle down in a new environment, yet it seems that her new surroundings of Melbourne have offered her the tools and experiences to craft her most accomplished work to date.

4/5 Stars

Emma Russack’s album ‘Sounds of Our City’ will be released on Friday 10th February 2012.

Check out the first single from the album, ‘He Was My Family,’ HERE:

By Connor O’Brien

Twitter: @Connor_O_Brien.