Gabriella Cohen’s debut album is an offering drenched in nostalgia, drawing influences from the lyrical content of Greenwich Village beat poets and early Californian psychedelic guitar bands in equal measure. That’s not to say that this album is just here pay homage to Cohen idols, she has her own charisma in spades.
Opening with Beaches, the album starts with a subtle bang and Cohen immediately has you hooked with the rousing chorus of ‘nobody ever loved you like I do’. Her sultry vocals on tracks like Down Town and This Could Be Love reveal more of her talents, allowing charm and personality to shine through the weeping melodies behind her. On Sever The Walls we hear heartache dealt with in a grippingly poetic way before the song transcends into a haze of guitar solos and keyboard leads.
The album packs a few surprises; instrumental track Dream Song is an ambient refrain of reverb soaked guitars weaving through sub-consciousness while Alien Anthem sounds like nothing else on the record. Unhinged and distorted, it shows off Cohen’s guitar artistry.
But the stand out track is undoubtedly I Don’t Feel So Alive. This song oozes cool with its slow build, kicking everything up a gear post chorus, transforming from a dreamy bedroom track into a gospel epic.
The album has been produced magnificently, with no stone left unturned and plenty of personality spread across the ten songs. No two tracks sound similar, and while Full Closure and No Details hits the nail on the head, it’s also exciting to anticipate what kind of a songwriter Cohen will become. She won’t be pigeon holed and is now in such demand, clearly warranting the attention she has recently received. This is a debut brimming with confidence, crafted so gracefully it feels like she’s been around for years.
BY ALEX PINK
