From the misty woodland of the Mendocino Coast comes Emily Jane White, an old soul raised in the small town spirit of Fort Bragg, California. Now working out of San Francisco and Oakland, CA, White still pulls from her slow paced roots in the minimalist and slightly melancholy melodies presented in her second full-length, Victorian America, which will be making its debut through Milan Records tomorrow, April 27th.
Poetically weaving pensive tales of loss in its twelve tracks, Victorian America is a beautifully full-bodied follow-up to White’s earlier album, Dark Undercoat. Implementing a rich palette of orchestration, prose, and haunting vocals, Victorian America, still manages to come across with a nearly effortless ethereal quality.
The barely there guitar of “Ravens” and gentle strumming of “A Shot Rang Out” allow the singer/songwriter’s voice to carry the tracks, while the steady build of violins, drums, and pedal steel lead “Liza” in a style akin to Arcade Fire and Laura Veirs. The string supported title track “Victorian America” brings a gentle, whispery croon coupled with high harmonies and gentle cymbal rolls to a chorus we later discovered to be etched in our minds.
“Stairs” takes on a smoky, southern feel, with its tempered bass drum and pedal steel accompaniment, feeling like something you might hear sung in the deep corners of a mid-20th century Louisiana bayou. Stepping away from the ghostly, sonorous sound of Victorian America’s other tracks is “Red Dress” inwhich White sings out in a sultry voice coinciding with eerily disjointed sounds from the organ and electric guitar, giving the song a jagged feeling of trouble on the horizon.
“Ghost of a Horse” is the perfect end to this sophomore release, full of soft swells, harmonious strings, and spectral singing above the tinkling of chimes. There’s an extremely bucolic quality to Emily Jane White’s serene singing that’s sure to captivate new listeners of the musician upon their first listen. Thrice nominated for the SF Weekly Music Award, Victorian America hits all the right notes for what could have been expected of Emily Jane White. Old and new fans alike will thoroughly enjoy the West Coast musician’s new release, and can look forward to getting lost in the rich layers this ambrosial album offers.
