Mermaid Kiss started back in 2000 when Evelyn Downing (vocals, harmony vocals, flute) and Jamie Field (acoustic guitar) met in a studio, and decided to form a songwriting partnership. Over the years they have used different musicians, and even a different singer while Evelyn completed her degree, but this is their last album together as Evelyn is moving on while Jamie is going to be continuing with the band. This album is the culmination of their ‘American Images’ project, and is full of Americana and in some ways is very English in feel and in others not at all. They were joined here by Wendy Marks (flute, cor anglais, oboe, recorder, harmony vocals), Pete West (acoustic, electric and bass guitars, harmony vocals), Colin Henney (keyboards) and Steve White (drums), and the result is a very special album indeed.
I have managed to play this in the car with both my 15 year old daughter and my wife present at different times to no complaints, which is high praise indeed given what they normally think of the music I write about. That is down to the match of Evelyn’s vocals, which come across as a mix of Talis Kimberley, Cath Mundy and Judie Tzuke, with wonderful instrumentation. It is very layered and complex yet is also simple in its’ approach, with the vocals very much at the front. I can play “Rhonda and the Paper Crane” all day as the combination of the story that is told with the music and vocals just seems ‘right’. No more, and no less than that. There are a few short interludes where piano and cor anglais combine in a harmony that is reflective and full of emotion, and again they work extremely well indeed.
I can honestly say that I have played this album far more than I usually do before writing about it, and it is certainly worth investigation if you enjoy wonderful female vocals with powerful songs. For more details on how to download this and their other albums then visit the site at www.mermaidkiss.co.uk .
