Jody Ellen, previously of Abney Park fame, returns with a new album, Bookends Fall.
Following on the excellent Skyscrapers and Helicopters (read our review here), Ellen proves that she can handle more genres and is an excellent vocalist and song smith in her own right. If you liked her in Abney Park, and you like singer-songwriter-type songs and soulful singing, you should check out her new work.
Should you be expecting something along the lines of what she used to do with Abney Park, throw those expectations out because comparing the two is comparing oranges and grapefruits.
This album mostly focuses on singer-songwriter-style music, with the occasional rock and even spoken-word track to add some, much appreciated, variety.
It’s an album that focuses more on the power of emotion rather than on the raw power of rock and assorted genres with, for the majority, songs that are made for sitting down and listening to.
The country influences that were already present on her previous album are still there, but they’ve been more defined into what is steadily becoming a signature sound, which album by album is getting clearer and clearer.
If you’re looking for a more mature type of steam- or dieselpunk music, with more ballads and soul, then Jody Ellen is definitely worth checking out.
