Emmy Alcorn’s debut release is six carefully constructed songs emitting endless emotion and passion. Songs like “I Only Wanna Love You” bring back an older, classic musical feel while others hint at modern pop. Her MySpace accurately states she sounds like, “Lennox/Nyro/Etta wrapped up in a smart soulful Trinidadian/Nova Scotian singer/songwriter who knows the groove-way into your heart.” Singing about failed relationships and unrequited love, Alcorn’s lyrics hit home. The tales and description within each song are easily relatable while her poignant vocals are refreshing.
Born in Trinidad and raised in Canada and the United States, Alcorn grew up in a musical family. Her first performance was at the age of six in her church choir. While the Alcorn family was known for their all-night jams, it is no wonder that she enlisted the help of her brother John to co-write many of the tracks on Unveil. Additionally, John took on the role of producer. Having written songs since the age of seven, Emmy has composed and produced original scores for stage plays and film. Track, “Here Tonight,” featured on Unveil, has garnered her second place in the Q104 songwriting contest. In fact, many of the songs on Unveil are bound to win similar praises.
From first track, “Down This Road,” Alcorn captures the listener’s attention. “Don’t want to talk to you/Done all the talkin’ I’m gonna do/Don’t want to walk with you/Done all the walkin’ I’m gonna do/Too many times I’ve been down this road,” she sings with deep, soulful vocals. Mid-song she breaks the song down singing, “Take it baby” with fitting musical accompaniment. “I’m driven to the limit/In miles I’m going to burn/No sign of your intention/To help me make the next turn,” she continues.
Alcorn showcases the passion and emotion of Etta James in ballad and stand-out track, “I Only Wanna Love You.” While comparisons abound, Rod Stewart comes to mind as Alcorn seems to favor his style of singing in this piece. The slow percussion accompaniment blends well with her beautiful and seductive vocals, never overpowering. The listener can easily picture the couple in the song dancing along to the music she has created. Beautifully mastered both lyrically and musically, “I Only Wanna Love You” embodies Alcorn’s talent.
“I Pretend” switches gears quickly on Unveil. The most upbeat song on the album, “I Pretend” has a jazzier feel suiting Alcorn’s voice well. The lyrics are catchy and relatable. “I pretend that I don’t miss you/I pretend that I’m free of your spell/I pretend that I never think of you/ … I pretend that I don’t get lonely/I pretend that I’m a happy girl/I pretend that I never fell for you.” The electric guitar appropriately demonstrates the emotion and continued frustration throughout the song
“Here Tonight” begins with light musical accompaniment before Alcorn slowly enters. The story tells the tale of a woman trying to convince herself that if her former love truly opened up to her, then he’d still be here tonight. With her charming vocals, she persuades the listener.
Light piano blends well with her voice on “Already Gone.” In fact, this is the case for most of the album. The music is a perfect component to Alcorn’s vocals. With each tender stroke of the keys, the listener feels the deep sentiment of the song. A fitting track to close Unveil, the track ends with Alcorn singing, “And I’m thinking about leaving and I’m already gone.” With such a strong release, one can only wonder what her next album will bring.
Reviewed By Annie Reuter
