Hannah Cohen - Child Bride

For your listening and collecting pleasure we have advance copies of this forthcoming album which contains exclusive artwork (apparently but it just looks like a black sleeve to me). Never mind because the music contains within is truly gorgeous. Opener 'Don't Say' is a beautiful slice of haunting melancholy. Its like Mazzy Star relocated to a smoky New York jazz club. The arrangements are exquisite with lightly brushed drums, finger picked guitar and subtle instrumental flourishes. A really organic sounding record and in this day of barely discernable singer songwriters and non existent melodies I'm already struck with the songwriting on the first two tracks which is very immediate and memorable. Apart from the obvious Mazzy Star reference (her voice isn't quite as 'full' as Hope Sandoval's but its a good try, I'm also reminded of Laura Veirs, Suzanne Vega and strangely Jeff Buckley. There's something in the musicality and ability to create a twisting melody. I'm not as taken by some of the later tracks which are a little jaunty and unmemorable and Cohen's vocals are a little shrill and samey but there still plenty of strong tracks throughout of interest to suggest that the excellent opening double salvo wasn't a fluke.