A lonesome-voiced singer and award-winning radio broadcaster in her hometown of Sydney, it was a move away from Australia to Nashville, Tennessee that inspired Emma to write and record her solo debut. One of Australia’s finest sad-song-singers, Emma’s voice has always required the kind of backing that would do it justice, and thanks to Nashville-based Australian expat Anne McCue and a cast of A-team Nashville session pickers, Swift’s songs have been wrought from (pedal) steel and amber, turquoise and honey. The debut mini-album features Bryan Owings (Buddy Miller, Emmylou Harris, Iris Dement, Patty Griffin) on drums, Russ Pahl (John Hiatt, The Secret Sisters, Elton John) on pedal steel, James Haggerty (The Autumn Defense, Ruby Boots) on bass. Opener ‘Bittersweet’ is of the type that once sold albums and singles by the millions, a heartbreaker to make one yearn for whiskey, a jukebox and a handful of dollar coins. ‘King of America’ sees Swift leaning hard, unashamedly even on the bluesy turn in her throat, with enough grit and power to have Loretta Lynn raising an eyebrow. Swift wraps her golden voice around ‘James’, a true sad song of the kind that – like waltzes – once had Willie Nelson wondering if there was any reason to keep writing them. Of course, her treatment of the lyric leaves the listener in no doubt that she’s hurting. ‘Seasons’, a staple of Swift’s live set for years sounds like it belongs on a beat up AM radio some summer long ago. The songs are imbued with an easy smile, vulnerability and toughness calling to mind artists like Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Tammy Wynette, Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star, or Margo Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies. “Emma Swift possesses one of those voices that draws you in with its ache and emotional pull, characteristics that are essential to the creation and performance of authentic country music. She’s one of those songwriters that can write and deliver songs that will have you crying alcohol stained tears, swaying along to stories of love won and lost.” – Chris Familton, No Depression “A smoky voiced songbird brought up on a steady diet of Elvis Costello and Linda Ronstadt. Tune your dial to Emma Swift’s sounds.” – Vinny Ramone, The Outpost – 2SER
