Emily McLoud is an Austin, Texas-based singer-songwriter who just released her debut EP entitled “Sugar Shine”. The six-track opus is a back-to-basics offering with Americana, folk, and country elements that have something for everyone. While there are moments on the record that show some experimentation and creativity, there are other times when it feels like the tracks play it safe within the genre’s boundaries. Let’s see how these 6 tracks hold up.
1- So they Say
The track has a simple and beautiful acoustic guitar arrangement with some stompy percussion and electric guitars in the background. The experimentation was mostly on the instrumental part which has a sweet and short solo with a string instrument (probably a mandolin). It’s not traditional to have solos with clean or acoustic strings like this, so that’s what makes the track special and memorable. Emily’s vocals feel like she’s telling a story, which is very true to the legacy of Americana and folk music.
2- Sugar Shine
The title track has a more complex arrangement, albeit being somber and ballad-like. Emily has got one of the most beautiful voice timbres and she knows how to make it shine with her mixed register and airy/breathy technique that’s both calming and addictive. The song’s endearing lyrics seamlessly match its romantic melody.
3- Furies and Angels
This track has a little faster tempo and has some male backing vocals. It’s good to hear different voices harmonizing and the (presumably Steelcase) guitar playing a nice solo between the verses. If I heard this song on my Spotify shuffle, I would have probably thought it was a modern rendition of a 1920s classic. Emily once again shows her mastery of the “storytelling” technique of vocalizing.
4- Ain’t As It Seems
This one begins with a bit more gloomy vocals and an overall sad vibe. It’s the longest song on the EP, clocking in at nearly four and a half minutes. With the electric guitars giving the atmospheric background sounds, the formula is perfect for a sad moment in an authentic western drama movie. The mental picture this song paints is someone wandering on their own and contemplating lost love and how reality fails to meet our expectations. “Don’t you know that damn near everything ain’t as it seems” is one of the strongest statements I’ve ever heard in any song.
5- Disguise
This is another long song, with exactly four minutes of Emily’s angelic vocals and some different elements this time. There are some keyboards utilized in this one to create a more moody atmosphere along with some backing vocals and it made me visualize Emily singing this number on stage with everyone in the audience waving their lighters and flashlights. The beautiful electric guitar solo in here compliments the soft and slow nature of the percussion and the vocals making this one a charmer, and my personal favorite from the whole EP.
6- Ordinary Day
Fingerstyle guitar and more vintage-like country vocals make up most of this song. The melody that Emily hums remained stuck in my head for days on end. I would be the richest man in the wild west if I had a dollar for every time that Emily’s voice sent shivers down my spine and made me travel in space and time to the American countryside.
In conclusion, this EP shows a lot more than a promising beginning of a young artist. You could feel the musicianship, the emotion, and the immense talent that Emily has in every note of her airy vocals. It blew my mind how she was telling stories in her regular speaking voice like a bard or a modern-day poet but still hit her notes harmoniously and precisely. This record marks the start of an amazing musical journey of an angelic vocalist.