SINGLE REVIEW: EMILIA QUINN - WITHOUT YOU

A little housekeeping before we dive into the review of Emilia Quinn's latest single "Without You". It is not a cover of the Badfinger, Harry Nielsson. Maria Carey song beloved of all cabaret entertainers throughout the land. As interesting as that might have been, what we have and we quote is a song "from the perspective of a friend after they have shared how their breakup was affecting them even though it was the best thing to do"

The opening 15 seconds or so sees the band settle themselves into a definite groove, John W Doyle and Cristiano Pochesci easing themselves in with their respective guitars, over Stephen McMurray's urgent crisp percussion. When Emilia appears, her voice appears a little deeper than normal, matching the mood of the opening verse of someone adjusting to a new way of life

"Party for one

In the spaces where pictures used to be

A bottle down

And the whole lonely night ahead of me

The smell of you

Still hangs in the air

Of this apartment for 2 feels a little bare"

The evocative use of the "Hangs in the air" gives that real feeling of things happening recently.

The chorus is a total shift in gear, the drums pound and if the verse had any hint of regret, like a boxer coming out for the second round, Emilia is now pulling no punches, her voice assumes an air of assured confidence about it.

"Wish I could say

That breaking up was a mistake

But I stand by the words I said

Though it hurts like hell

Don’t want you back Babe

Been broken for years

Ruled by our own fears

Of waking up alone

We made this our home

Though it‘s a fire gone cold

Guess I’ll get used to living in a house for two

Without you"

The final line of the chorus send us back into the second verse, the use of the nautical words "tide" and"float in different directions" subliminally says we drifted apart, without actually having to use the phrase. If the tone of the chorus is at times a little brutal,the final line of the second verse is as close to an acknowledgement of better days in the past as it gets

"Today I cried

Not because I wish we could fix it

Life’s a changing tide

Sometimes we float in different directions

I hope you know I don’t keep regrets

It was meant to be for the time we shared"

There's not just one good old fashioned rocking guitar solo, but two as first John and then Cristiano are given free reign to express themselves, before we drop back to the chorus, with initially just Emilia intensely strumming her acoustic guitar. The band gradually coming back to life in a storming fashion as Emilia enforces the line

"Don’t want you back Babe"

She'll later reinforces the situation she now finds herself in, repeating the line

"Guess I’ll get used to living in a house for two "

then repeating "Without you"

The overall sound has a crisp live feel to it and comes mighty close to capturing the electricity that is in the air at an Emilia Quinn live show. It all bodes well for "Dented Halos", the second album due in September.

As a little bonus a new version of "Without You" has appeared, with guest vocals by Jake O'Neill. By turning it into a duet the listeners perspective totally changes as it now feels as if we are now hearing two sides of the story. Even though it is exactly the same words it now feels more amicable with both sides thinking they have reached the end of the relationship road!. Emilia still kicks off the opening verse with Jake coming in on the "Today I cried" line.

It's a nice alternate version but it is the original that undoubtedly hits the hardest.