EMILY JANE WHITE – They Moved In Shadow All Together (2016) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

With a title that references the opening of Cormac McCarthy's novel Outer Dark, They Moved in Shadow All Together is the fifth album by indie balladeer Emily Jane White. Stripped back somewhat from the lusher, more electronic character of her previous album, Blood/Lines, it marks a return to spooky acoustic form. The opening track sets the stage with echoing percussion, acoustic guitar, bass, and cooing backing vocals set to a minor-key waltz. Its tone is reflected in lyrics that use words like dusty, overgrown, and forsaken. The song ends with the disheartening promise "someday I'll forgive." The album's haunted atmosphere is stated explicitly in "Nightmares on Repeat," a song about hanging on literally and figuratively ("Holding your hand keeps me here"). Arpeggiated guitar and, later, piano converge near the end with its lilting melody into a swirl of repeated words. Later, whether seen as a topical offering or a timeless one, "Womankind" speaks to the practice of suffering in silence and calls for an end to it from "everyone who cares for others' lives." Its flowing piano and strings seem to symbolize momentum. In contrast, the closer "Behind the Glass" has an almost rousing pulse that moves across multiple instruments. The otherwise spare arrangement includes mostly backing and lead vocals that question the notion of authenticity and warn "Behind the glass is something/But it might not be what you're wanting." The set of nocturnes maintains a mood so consistent that it's an all-or-nothing affair for listeners, and a likely boon for established fans. Marcy Donelson   Tracklist + Credits :

EMILY JANE WHITE – Dark Undercoat (2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Listening to Dark Undercoat, it's difficult to believe that Emily Jane White once fronted various college punk and metal bands. The frenetic energy that fuels both those genres is totally at odds with the incredibly languorous feel of this set, as White whiles away her time moodily musing, mostly accompanied only by her acoustic guitar or piano. Dark Undercoat, her debut, is awash in dark undercurrents, and tinged with a deeply affecting melancholy, somewhat reminiscent of Nick Drake, which Wainwright Hewlett's superb engineering and production enhances. The sound is underlit with a glowing warmth, the quiet atmospheres subtly acquiring surprising depths, while a sublime intimacy is spun around the entire set. White's dusky, lilting alto conjures up its own spell, as do the simple but artful arrangements. Guitar strumming songs like "Dagger" and "Time on Your Side" illustrate the artist's deep connections to the folk scene, but others have a western bend, foremost among them "Sleeping Dead." In contrast, the magnificent "Bessie Smith" and "Hole in the Middle" sing the blues. "Bessie Smith" and the title track make inspired use of cello, fabulous work from multi-instrumentalist Muir. Bass and drums intensify a number of songs, while White's concert piano skills are highlighted on a pair of tracks, with her supple guitar showcased across the entire set. The music is mesmerizing throughout, moody palettes over which the singer paints pictures of love and loss, and the detritus of dashed hopes and dreams: "a trail of ashes" left behind by soured romances. Like the Marlboro Man, White's men are strong and silent types, many "Wild Tigers" only half-tamed, a few straw men whose strong facades hide their own insecurities. The themes are universal, while her lyrics resonate strongly, abetted by a sprinkling of Biblical references. All told, an inspired album whose atmospheres smolder on long after the music ends. Jo-Ann Greene  Tracklist + Credits :