Emma Davis

Emma Davis' makes a strong impression with her self-titled debut of acoustic musings.

London-born, Berkley College trained, Sydney-based Emma Davis is a welcome addition to the singer-songwriter pool. Her self-titled debut is a gentle acoustic affair that makes you feel a priveleged guest inside her head, her stories and observations bouncing around you like lotto balls. The songs for the most part fall somewhere between the Waifs and Missy Higgins, with touches of horn, glockenspiel and percussion adding to the basic guitar + vocals set up. You may have heard it all before but Davis's deft guitar work and warm lyrics lift this release above the pack.

Curiously the album opens with some of its bleakest lyrics, Losing Faith begins with the cheery lines  'I'm starting to think that we're both on the brink of disaster, our boat's going to sink and the sea's going to drink all our laughter'. It's a testament to this and the other sadder/darker tracks on the album that nothing ever falls into melancholy or self pity.  This is mostly due to the guitar work which gives even the saddest moments a touch of lightness, especially All of This which will have you tapping your feet and paradoxically singing along to the chorus of 'I don't feel a thing, I don't feel a thing at all'. It's one of the album's standout moments.

Elsewhere Picking Fruit retells a carthartic roadtrip beneath sweet boy-girl harmonies while ukelele closer William taps a nerve for anyone who's dealt with long distance relationships. Machines seems to be the money shot here. With keys, beats and beeps it has single written all over it an is a noted break from the folk mold of the rest of the album. It's a nice slice of pop, but creeps pretty close to Missy Higgins territory with its elongated vowels and heavier production. This isn't a bad thing but Davis' own voice is somewhat diluted and the track feels more homogenous here than elsewhere.

Emma Davis is an impressive debut, personal and well-crafted. The light on the ground approach might be a little too gentle for some, but the songs are easy to relate to and it's easy to imagine listeners fusing the tracks with their own experiences. In the right set of circumstances this would lead to the type of adoring crowd that Laura Marling enjoys, but even if it doesn't, the album should find Davis a bigger audience. Expect bigger things to come.

Download Machines, All of This and Happy song here from Emma Davis' Triple J Unearthed page.