Gemma Hayes
Night Is On My Side
2002, Source Records/Astralworks
pop
½
Hailing from Ireland, Gemma Hayes is another distinctive female voice I’ve recently found. While this album is from 2002 and therefore a bit old, it still has an appeal for those of us who still remember and appreciate 90′s pop and rock. In fact, I found this album based on its single “Back of My Hand,” which is quite possibly the most 90s-sounding track on the record. Listening to the rest of the album revealed country, acoustic, and dreamscape tinges that were appealing but also disappointing.
At the risk of sounding like an American Idol judge, Hayes voice isn’t merely imperfect – it’s pitchy beyond belief. She needs vocal coaching, particularly when she tries to attempt Sheryl Crow’s subtle twang in “Night On My Side” or “Over and Over.” Furthermore, the lyrics are kinda boring. Granted, Hayes has released two more albums since so she’s probably written more songs that actually suit her voice, but from what I can hear this album did not deserve to be nominated for a Mercury Prize, or any prize. It’s well-produced and catchy, but Hayes follows in the footsteps of Aimee Mann in that her voice can be appealing at times but it ultimately detracts from her music.
“Ran For Miles,” “Back of My Hand,” “My God.”
myspace, last.fm
Aimee Mann’s Lost in Space, Provincial Parks’s Iron Ponies EP
Tags: aimee mann, gemma hayes, iron ponies ep, lost in space, night on my side, provincial park
