Emily O'Halloran - Morphine and Cupcakes

  by Lisa Torem

published: 31 / 10 / 2011

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Review

Emily O’Halloran’s passport has been stamped in many places. Leaving home as a teen, she transported herself to an Australian hippie commune where she lent her natural musical abilities to “The Diddly-Dit Band.” As a curious hitchhiker she forged her way to Tasmania, then across the seas to Greenwich Village and the front steps of the Chelsea Hotel where she made ends meet as a subway busker and reader of coffee house poetry. This trajectory eventually led her to meet producer Mark Howard (Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, Tom Waits) who framed her creative work in good stead. Debut 'Morphine and Cupcakes' reflects her dreamy Gypsy lifestyle. In general, the songs float through time with her crusty voice at the helm. More than 50% of the recording boasts songs that are more than six minutes long, and while the output seems sometimes self-indulgent, the feel more than compensates. There is an underlying, slow--moving vibe that borrows from reggae and soul, though the predominant style seems to be country. The first song, ‘Kindness’ shows off some of her sharp metaphors: “far-reaching star landed in a grave” to “pick- up line and gin” which offset her more wry commentary: “When you walk in the rain you might just get wet.” Bright, backing singers lend a hand as she develops a stronger sentiment: “there’s something to be said for bravery instead of just following your tears.” ‘Nashville’, shadowed by Doug Pettibone’s piercing, pedal steel, features Emily’s veiled, whispering performance which speaks volumes about where she’s been geographically and emotionally. As she admits, “spring comes around again and again.” She settles us down in the way the motion of a moving train lulls us to sleep. She divulges, plainly, yet with a muted wisdom, “I’ve been to California and I’ve been to New York/But Nashville is where it’s at.” ‘Crying When It Hurts’ suggests that Emily is an anomaly. One would not normally find this husky voice interpreting this brand of music, though that’s the charm. The message, clear and heartfelt, is made more poignant by her realization that it is our every day rituals that keep us sane; “put gas in the tank” or the red lipstick that gets us out of the door. Simply done, it is one of the most heartfelt tracks. A Hammond organ on 'Gate Opener' bleats delicious textures. It is her shortest track, but it heralds a fusion of Dylan heaving and Ian Hunter’s engaging sense of melody. ‘The Young and the Dead’ is the bluesiest of the bunch and is nicely driven by the initial rubato verse and tempered by strings. Here, Emily’s razor-sharp delivery, surrounded by bursts of ambient sounds and sparse guitar, results in one of her most transparent and direct undertakings. I would best describe this song as “Dylan, dressed up, with somewhere to go.” ‘Sorry’ is, not surprisingly, a song about misgivings and this one is studded by Fuzzbee’s ear-to-the ground, riveting bass line and a slap-in-the face philosophy: “sarcasm has got me through before…” Again, in ‘Free Man’, Emily takes the ordinary and makes it swell: “I meet you at the laundromat/We will watch the same things go ‘round and ‘round/Read yesterdays newspaper…make peace with what we left behind.” Clocking in at an extraordinary 8:26, is ‘Glory and Gunpowder.’ Presented vis a vis simple piano and a striking melody, her raspy-voice brings forth a character that captivates: “She never knew the difference between morning and a loaded gun” and “She was looking for a sailor/Looking to be saved.” Surprisingly, though Emily O’Halloran seems to channel the legendary folk artist, her one Dylan cover, ‘Billy’ doesn’t measure up to her originals and at more than seven minutes it somewhat drags. “Can’t tell if you really love me or if you’re just passing through town’ is a superb, lyrical set up which allows the songwriter to brandish another blues tune: ‘Hallelujah.’ Though the laid-back arrangement, at times, doesn’t fully support her rising Gospel infusion, the song still rings a bittersweet tone. The closer and title song, ‘Morphine and Cupcakes’ drips with infectious irony. “Morphine and cupcakes for breakfast and desser/It’s only powder, It’s only sugar…” Hard and soft drugs collide and provide a canvass for Emily’s disillusioned protagonist. “Take the car and drive all night if that’s your idea of freedom…” she dickers. Life is hard; life is sweet and most often we get stuck in the middle. What Emily O’Halloran says, through her original music, makes perfect sense and the meandering, but gutsy way she expresses herself is equally moving.

Track Listing:-

1 Kindness
2 Nashville
3 Crying When It Hurts
4 Gate Opener
5 The Young And The Dead
6 Sorry
7 Free Man
8 Glory And Gunpowder
9 Billy
10 Hallelujah
11 Morphine And Cupcakes

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/EMILY-OHALLOR
http://www.emilyohalloran.com/
https://www.instagram.com/emilysohallo
https://twitter.com/EmilyOHalloran
https://www.youtube.com/user/MissEmily