After heading out to California at the latter end of 2023, Elaine Palmer set up at Half Moon Lodge up in the San Diego hills with Producer Mike Butler (Norah Jones, Ray LaMontagne, Phoebe Bridgers and The Pretenders) a bunch of incredible musicians Matt Lynott (The White Buffalo drummer), Bobby Furgo (Leonard Cohen’s violinist) Patrick McClory and Dave Berzansky (Hacienda Brothers pedal steel) and Mike Butler (guitars) to record a mostly live, the result of which is this album ‘Half Moon Rising’.
Sometimes, I need big open tremolo chords and a cracking voice, and with ‘Heart And Soul,’ Elaine Palmer kicks off her new album fulfilling that need. Perfect for soothing the heart and soul, Palmer is in a comfortable mood, creating sweet musical magic. The floating ‘So Long’ stops you in your tracks and has the same magic flowing through it. The gentle rising and falling rhythms are infectious and something that the album is filled with. There’s a no hurried vibe throughout the songs have plenty of space to breathe with nothing over complicated. Every note is there to compliment the song.
That magic flows on through the second track, ‘A Love That Way’. Simply gorgeous, the song is dominated by the flow of the lyrical phrasing, and the slight vibrato to her vocals is divine. Dave Berzansky’s pedal steel fits perfectly into this track, as well as on ‘On The Way Up’ which also benefits from the addition of pedal steel to the mix.
The haunting ‘Freeborough Hill’ brings an electric charge to the album that is hair-raising in place. From a steady drum beat, the track is guaranteed to be a live favourite when it takes off it is nothing short of epic. A lot like the next track, a gorgeous reworking of ‘Let Me Fall’, a previous stand-alone single from Palmer. This version focuses on Palmer’s exquisite voice with a more laid-back recording. The smoking guitar solo is still there, though, just with a country tinge. With its euphoric sounding chorus it’s a personal highlight of the album and was well worth being chosen as a single.
Richly hued and deeply emotional ‘Not Lost’ is something for the listener to fall into. If you don’t lose time listening to this album then you aren’t really hearing it. The deep emotive quality, the velvety softness acts like a warm hug after a hard day. Palmer has this intimate quality where she makes each individual listen
The sprightly ‘The Last Dance’ brings the album to a sad end. I could happily listen to Parmers’ brand of Americana pop all day, such is the peaceful mood that her music has settled me into. Trust me, give it a couple of spins and you will want this prescribed for a doctor such is the way you will feel after a listen.
I don’t know how, but Palmer is just so good for my musical soul. This album is beautiful. An American influence flows throughout the album, which isn’t surprising considering the recording location and Palmer’s previous work. It’s a gentle, honest collection of work from a talent that is meant to be creating like the rest of us breathe.
Check out the track Let Me Fall, below:
Find out more via Palmer’s Website or Facebook
Purchase the album here
