THE GEMMA RAY RITUAL
'Navy Blues'
I
first came across Gemma Ray on the ‘Raw & Unplugged In New Cross’
album and was quite chuffed when Gemma agreed to come to the Earwax studio
for a radio session. Performing with Danny Valentine, Gemma gave the
second ever Earwax live session and sounded absolutely superb, despite our
technical inadequacies in the studio. On her departure from the dreary
streets of Erith, Gemma left us a copy of the forthcoming album ‘Navy
Blues’, an album that I now rate as one of the finest albums so far this
year.
First impressions
of Navy Blues are good, even before the album makes it into the car
stereo. It’s housed in a nautically themed slip case that screams
quality and puts many of the unsigned releases we receive to shame. But
that’s not all. Not only is it an album lead by a beautifully unique
vocal, the songs are superbly produced and as a band, the Gemma Ray Ritual
give a tight performance. Having only heard Gemma perform acoustically,
the bands wall of sound against Gemma’s subtle but powerful vocals gave
a depth I was not expecting. If the full band sounds this good live, I
really should get out there and see them in their full glory.
It
is the actual songs that really stand out though. From the perfect
folk-pop of ‘Terrible Times’ to the deep angst of ‘Wartime, Hero,
Romeo’, this is an album of deep emotion and sophisticated lyricism.
Navy Blues flirts with acoustic melancholy and then tares the walls down
with perfectly crafted songs such as ‘Bring Out The Sails' (Part 1)’.
Parallels could
easily be drawn between the Gemma Ray Ritual and PJ Harvey, but they hold
back the shear sound of terror that Polly often descends into and Gemma
subsequently remains an aural delight at all times. Go buy this album,
although you wont find it in the shops as GRR remain unsigned. Give it
time.
LINKS:
> Download
the Earwax session version 'Wartime Hero' (MP3)
> More
on Gemma Ray at Wax-Music.co
> Buy
'Navy Blues at the official GRR website
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