In 2020, Emma Swift released her album. She had released her self-titled debut mini album in her native Australia in 2014 (she has since relocated to Nashville), but Blonde On The Tracks was her first full-length album. And it was a daring album. She did her own versions of new and old Bob Dylan songs. This was a bold statement from a young artist. It was a nervy idea that paid off. Not only was the album well received but it firmly established her as a solid performer. Now, she is back with The Resurrection Game (a great title), which features ten original songs. This is a genius move because her sophomore album topped her first album and it firmly establishes her as a writer as well as a brilliant performer.

Although Swift employed some of the top session players in Nashville, the album was actually recorded on The Isle of Wight, at Chale Abbey, a studio located in a stone barn dating back to the 16th century. Jordan Lehning (Kacey Musgraves, Rodney Crowell, Caitlin Rose) produced the album and plays keyboards and other instruments. He does a fine job of arranging the music to suit Swift’s vocals, style and songs. Joining Swift are pedal steel master Spencer Cullum (Steelism, Miranda Lambert, Angel Olsen), guitarist Juan Solrzano (Devon Gilfillian, Sheryl Crow), bassist Eli Beaird (Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson, James Bay, Luke Bryan), and drummer Dom Billett (Yola, Phosphorescent). But this is not a country album.

Musically, this is actually a difficult album to characterize. It is not even Americana, but rather a solid alternative pop album, not unlike Julee Cruise at her best. It also resembles Daniel Lanois’s production style when he produced Emmylou Harris. It is not as spacious and otherworldly, and yet, at times it certainly comes close. “Signing Off With Love” has that sparse, bare sound with the piano and layered sounds. Swift’s restrained vocals are perfect and everything together produces a very emotional listening experience. The same as “Impossible Air”, in which Swift sounds like she is running out of breath and every word is almost an effort to get out. In this sense, it packs a real punch.

Lyrically, it is an album about changes, death of dreams, life, disappointments and grappling with severe issues. “No Happy Endings”, for example, has the brilliant chorus:
“The world’s a spinning time bomb
That, there’s no denying.
There are no happy endings
But baby I’m trying.”

The album is not depressing, but it is not uplifting either. It is obviously personal and in that sense empowering. But at times, it is tough to listen to some of the pain on the record.

The Resurrection Game is an extremely impressive debut. Swift is an amazing writer, and the album is never overproduced and yet it has a very dreamy and, in some songs, a very lush sound. Swift is a talented singer and writer. Some artists wait until they are well established before laying their soul on the line, but here she leads off with it, a very brave and bold statement. The Resurrection Game is a lovely album.

(spillmagazine.com)