Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
On her second album, British singer/songwriter Gemma Ray lights out again on the adventurous trajectory she established with her 2008 debut. The word used repeatedly to describe Ray's cinematic retro sound is "noirish," and while that accurately describes the spacious, tremolo-heavy atmosphere of many of the songs here, it misses the warmth, quirky wit, and low-gloss sparkle of Ray's writing. She references pre-Fab Four rock for the melody and melodrama, ‘60s girl groups for the harmonies, spaghetti western soundtracks for the sense of space, and indie-pop for the cheek.
Recorded (with co-producer Michael J. Sheehy) in a home-studio setting, the tracks benefit from thoughtful production and, in some cases, a concert-hall largeness of scope that belies the modest production. The familiar rubs shoulders with the off-kilter, as on the lush space opera "Fist of a Flower," which layers multiple Gemmas over a languorous minor-key shuffle, with an insistent Beach Boys harmony hook that sounds both comfortingly recognizable and spookily out of context. On "(You Got Me in a) Death Roll," Ray toughens up and deepens her voice for a dirgey blues number with weird, stentorian, Greek-chorus backing vocals that turn a simple blues into a theatrical show-stopper. A similar sense of drama informs the rest of the songs here, and while the noir thing can be a lot to digest over the course of 12 songs, the gentle, unadorned album-closer, "So Do I," demonstrates that Ray can do "subtle," too.
© Paula Carino /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr124,99/month
Ben Thackeray, Mixer - Gemma Ray, Composer, Lyricist, Artist, MainArtist - Gemma Ray & Michael Sheehy, Producer
2009 Bronzerat 2009 Bronzerat
Ben Thackeray, Mixer - Gemma Ray, Composer, Lyricist, Artist, MainArtist - Gemma Ray & Michael Sheehy, Producer
2009 Bronzerat 2009 Bronzerat
Ben Thackeray, Mixer - Gemma Ray, Composer, Lyricist, Artist, MainArtist - Bronzerat, MusicPublisher - Gemma Ray & Michael Sheehy, Producer
2009 Bronzerat 2009 Bronzerat
Ben Thackeray, Mixer - Gemma Ray, Composer, Lyricist, Artist, MainArtist - Bronzerat, MusicPublisher - Gemma Ray & Michael Sheehy, Producer
2009 Bronzerat 2009 Bronzerat
Ben Thackeray, Mixer - Gemma Ray, Composer, Lyricist, Artist, MainArtist - Bronzerat, MusicPublisher - Gemma Ray & Michael Sheehy, Producer
2009 Bronzerat 2009 Bronzerat
Ben Thackeray, Mixer - Gemma Ray, Composer, Lyricist, Artist, MainArtist - Bronzerat, MusicPublisher - Gemma Ray & Michael Sheehy, Producer
2009 Bronzerat 2009 Bronzerat
Ben Thackeray, Mixer - Gemma Ray, Composer, Lyricist, Artist, MainArtist - Bronzerat, MusicPublisher - Gemma Ray & Michael Sheehy, Producer
2009 Bronzerat 2009 Bronzerat
Ben Thackeray, Mixer - Gemma Ray, Composer, Lyricist, Artist, MainArtist - Bronzerat, MusicPublisher - Gemma Ray & Michael Sheehy, Producer
2009 Bronzerat 2009 Bronzerat
Ben Thackeray, Mixer - Gemma Ray, Composer, Lyricist, Artist, MainArtist - Bronzerat, MusicPublisher - Gemma Ray & Michael Sheehy, Producer
2009 Bronzerat 2009 Bronzerat
Ben Thackeray, Mixer - Gemma Ray, Composer, Lyricist, Artist, MainArtist - Bronzerat, MusicPublisher - Gemma Ray & Michael Sheehy, Producer
2009 Bronzerat 2009 Bronzerat
Ben Thackeray, Mixer - Gemma Ray, Composer, Lyricist, Artist, MainArtist - Bronzerat, MusicPublisher - Gemma Ray & Michael Sheehy, Producer
2009 Bronzerat 2009 Bronzerat
Ben Thackeray, Mixer - Gemma Ray, Composer, Lyricist, Artist, MainArtist - Bronzerat, MusicPublisher - Gemma Ray & Michael Sheehy, Producer
2009 Bronzerat 2009 Bronzerat
Album review
On her second album, British singer/songwriter Gemma Ray lights out again on the adventurous trajectory she established with her 2008 debut. The word used repeatedly to describe Ray's cinematic retro sound is "noirish," and while that accurately describes the spacious, tremolo-heavy atmosphere of many of the songs here, it misses the warmth, quirky wit, and low-gloss sparkle of Ray's writing. She references pre-Fab Four rock for the melody and melodrama, ‘60s girl groups for the harmonies, spaghetti western soundtracks for the sense of space, and indie-pop for the cheek.
Recorded (with co-producer Michael J. Sheehy) in a home-studio setting, the tracks benefit from thoughtful production and, in some cases, a concert-hall largeness of scope that belies the modest production. The familiar rubs shoulders with the off-kilter, as on the lush space opera "Fist of a Flower," which layers multiple Gemmas over a languorous minor-key shuffle, with an insistent Beach Boys harmony hook that sounds both comfortingly recognizable and spookily out of context. On "(You Got Me in a) Death Roll," Ray toughens up and deepens her voice for a dirgey blues number with weird, stentorian, Greek-chorus backing vocals that turn a simple blues into a theatrical show-stopper. A similar sense of drama informs the rest of the songs here, and while the noir thing can be a lot to digest over the course of 12 songs, the gentle, unadorned album-closer, "So Do I," demonstrates that Ray can do "subtle," too.
© Paula Carino /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:39:31
- Main artists: Gemma Ray
- Composer: Gemma Ray
- Label: Bronzerat
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
2009 Bronzerat 2009 Bronzerat
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.