Emily Davis; Graceful.

 

It’s show time, and it’s hot, damn hot, so hot Satan would leave the building. “You’ll see on the tables that I’ve made fans out of old posters, feel free to use them,” Starts out Emily. There’s something controlled about her tone; not contrived, but controlled, she knows the value of words. Her set opens with “Odes and anthems” from her album, “Moving in slow motion” the Heat in the tin shed out back, the gig area of the Wheatsheaf hotel is incredible, and with the show sold out the fans battle against the rising body heat. Up where Emily stands, on stage, with Asher Reynolds and Tori Phillips the heat must be incredible, but while she feigns a relaxed approach, she remains a consummate professional.

While Emily does not possess what I consider a classical style of playing guitar, it remains honest, warm and organic, her guitar and the rising melodies of the accompanying violin more than complimenting Asher Reynolds Keyboard.

Think Tori Amos, only accessible.

When she sings “Billboards,” you can’t help but feel, maybe not what she felt when she wrote the song, but what you yourself would have felt in the same situation.

When Cal Williams Jr. joins her, she focuses exclusively on her vocals and she soars. Cal Williams Jr. is a modern day guitar virtuoso- not clever for the sake of being clever, but a talented artist who knows how, but when to move with emotion. As a duo they are unique, nothing can compare to their sound.

From Russian folk songs, to her own pop folk ballads Emily shows at one humility and mastery- few of are so prolific as to not have had time to consider naming a piece- Emily is one of those few. Next to Jayne- Anne Power, who joined her for a duet, Emily’s humanity , and spirit show that secret thing, the alleged X factor, her humanity; her honesty overcomes synthetic pop melodies; her warm, natural tones make the songs something embraceable and endearing.

If given a chance, you must take the opportunity to see Emily perform. She entertains, delights, and amuses without a trace of pretension or arrogance. Instead of lowering herself to be one with the audience, achieves the same effect by lifting the audience up with her in sympathetic resonance that marks her as a truly great writer, and a musician to watch very closely in the future. Remember the name, you’ll hear a lot more of it.

BT Cassidy.