The wave cannot be stopped, it’s a fact by now.
Independent music doesn’t have time to find an artist who takes off, that immediately another is discovered and immediately makes a dent in hearts.
Not that in the past there wasn’t this talent in the United States, but now people who want this type of approach and this type of music can easily find it: streaming services, venues, festivals.
Sure it’s still tough out there, but unity is strength and these artists, promoters and professionals often unite and collaborate to make everyone win, well everyone except those who don’t need it around Nashville.
Keeping up with all these new releases is a very fun and exciting “job” for me now (unpaid, but that’s another story…ah, ah, ah!) and today I just found an artist who promises to be one of my “new” favorites.
I have several contacts in Oklahoma and thanks to them I discovered this very young girl and I was struck by lightning: literally, struck by lightning!
Emily Hollingshed has an incredible voice: powerful, intense and very similar to that of another artist who has just made a splash with her debut (one of the best albums of 2024), Taylor Hunnicutt.
With the Queen of Alabama, she shares the same admirable ability to blend the strong and rough flavor of southern rock with the sweeter and more intense flavor of country music: the result is a fire that burns in these 10 songs that make up Emily‘s debut.
Hollingshed, in addition to giving us an incredible vocal performance, also plays acoustic guitar and piano.
The rest of the band is formed by: Phillip Hager on drums, Dave Hollingshed on bass and Nicholas Sharp on electric guitars.
The album was recorded in Tulsa at The Church Studio and produced by the artist herself together with her band.
Press play and Hollingshed‘s voice will invade the room with the southern power of Too Close, one of my favorites and we’re just getting started.
Not bad I’d say!
The guitars whip the air, but I have to reiterate the concept: this girl has a voice that takes your soul and squeezes it well!
Sleep Tight is another southern song with a very red dirt rhythm, not for nothing the girl comes from the state where the genre was born and raised.
Guitars and rhythm surround her voice that burns everything it encounters.
The rhythm drops with The Devil Hides in The Bottle, but not the emotions.
Her voice this time caresses us and shows that, even in ballads, the fire does not go out, on the contrary.
True stories, bitter stories, emotional stories: no makeup, no sequins or circus shows. The strength of the independent tsunami is all here.
Ballads like Angel demonstrate a truly remarkable ability in songwriting, a little rock a little country, a lot of talent.
Emily doesn’t invent anything, but her music has character and personality, it is not banal or passable: it is just beauty!
Oklahoma Weather is my favorite and it is the manifesto of this girl’s music: scratchy, emotional and with a soul strongly anchored to its origins.
The red dust raised by the strong wind of the Oklahoma plains will scratch your face, as her voice will do to your souls.
The solo is truly beautiful.
The title track continues in this track left by the red dust and the girl gives us a performance of a consummate rocker: it is the first song I listened to by Emily and my rock side could not help but fall in love with this piece.
Another splendid solo and another song that will become one of my favorites.
The album closes with a piano and voice ballad: Alonelylullaby.
Almost a dedication to all her influences as a child, the music of her grandfather Jr. Martin, the music of Merle Haggard: you get emotional at the sound of such a beautiful and intense voice.
I have reviewed many debuts in these years and the “prophecies” that my soul has suggested to me have never been wrong: write down this name, it will go a long way and in a short time it will be one of the names that independent music fans will repeat most often.
The album is a true little jewel of Oklahoma music: so much sweat, so much red dirt flavor, southern soul and country heart.
Get on the Emily Hollingshed bandwagon, there’s room for it just started, but if you don’t and in a few months there won’t be any more room, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Enjoy,
Trex
