The album's lead track, "The Idea Of Love," eases in with some nice work on bass. And for a few lines Emma's voice is supported by just that instrument. "It's easy to fall in love/All the frills, all the flowers/Staying up for hours/It's easy to fall in love/Waiting for a phone call/Say the word and we'll be out all night." On that last line, the other instruments come in. She raises her voice on certain lines, such as "It's the staying that's the hardest part," but it is the more intimate sections that really stand out for me. And the sweet, gentle, dreamy scat is wonderful, perfectly conveying that delightful feeling of falling in love. This track also contains an excellent saxophone lead in the second half. Then "Dreamscapes" starts with drums and has a light, friendly vibe. There is a bit of a 1970s flavor to the track. "I already forgot you/I know that you moved on to/Somebody else." I like that little word play in those lines; we first hear the line as "one too" before the line moves straight into the next line, changing the meaning somewhat. This track features some nice work on drums, and Emma Hedrick delivers a section of scat, which then leads to a really good lead on trumpet. That is guest David Sneider on trumpet. I also like the funky element to this number, particularly in the work on bass and drums.
"Newcomer," the album's title track, begins gently with some pretty work on piano, setting the mood beautifully. "I wait for the sun/I wait where no one/Even knows my name." This track features the work of a string quartet, made up of Davis Brooks on violin, Kara Day on violin, Derek Reeves on viola, and Anna Thompson-Danilova on cello. The string arrangement is by Shane McCandless. The strings and Emma's vocal performance give the piece a feeling of melancholy, of darkness, as winter approaches, and also a longing. "I watched the seasons change," Emma sings, and we do get the sense of time passing, of a world passing, things growing and dying before her eyes. before our own eyes, while we remain stationary. The piano work on this track is as moving as her vocal performance. "The newcomer's here to stay." Then there is an immediate burst of brighter energy as "In The Warmth" begins, a bit of scat right at the start. "Dreaming of you/My mind will wander/I always make a way back to find you/I know I like to be around you." And then she sings, "The stars drift by," a line that might have also been at home in the previous song, but here with a very different tone. There is energy to the rhythm of this song. Ryan Barski joins the group on percussion. That percussion and the drumming give an exciting sense to this track, particularly to the instrumental sections. And there is a section near the end when Emma repeats a couple of lines, and through that repetition her voice begins to feel a part of the rhythm. It's like we begin to focus on the sound of the words rather than their meaning. It's an interesting effect. I also love the lead on saxophone in the middle of this track, and the brief section where Emma's voice interacts with the saxophone. There is a delightful joy here, and the track will leave you feeling warm.
"I'm longing for a place I've never been/Where there's always something better, something new/But I never want to forget you," Emma sings at the beginning of "Tone Poem In Greenwich Village." This is a song of reflection. Then a minute and a half in, this track kicks in, with a classic rhythm, taking us into an old jazz club. There is no longer the sense of a lonesome late night, for a crowd has now entered. There is life in it yet, as that scat section seems to be saying. Ah yes, we can dance and shake our way through this world, she tells us without any words. Wonderful. That's followed by "Spring Haiku Collection," which begins with some pretty, contemplative work on piano. And Emma's vocal work is gorgeous and captivating. "Petals opening/Reaching for their promised light." This track features Peter Eldgridge on piano, and Alexandria DeWalt on flute. The instrumental section feels like light dancing upon a garden, upon our faces. "Wake up, sleepy head/Wake up from winter's long rest/Spring calls out your name." Those lines might remind you of "Newcomer," the changing of seasons. There is a really nice vocal section, where both Peter Eldridge and Alexandria DeWalt join Emma on vocals, and that section helps make this track stand out.
"Inside Your Mind" is playful from the beginning, when Emma offers a little scat, and the horns each reply in turn, a follow-the-leader sort of thing in that first section. David Sneider plays trumpet on this track, and Zach McRary is on trombone. "Sometimes it's hard to uncover/Things we bury when we're younger." That section with the brass is fantastic! I love the way it begins by revisiting the opening, and then flows into different territory, the way her voice joins them in a delicious dream. Wonderful stuff! Another return to that opening section then moves us back into the song's main section. This track is another of the disc's highlights. I like how it ends with a reverse of the opening moment, where her voice is the final one heard. That's followed by "In The Garden." "In the garden/Nothing can hurt you," Emma sings at the beginning, while the piano creates a sort of magical, dreamlike feeling. There is later a nice, warm lead on piano that grows in beauty, breathing and winding its way through an enchanting landscape.
Andrew Tinch delivers some wonderful work on guitar at the beginning of "Come On Home," backed by some equally wonderful stuff on bass. "Reading all the pages through/Nothing seems to sound like you." I love the way the drums play an important role in leading into the main body of the song. The song has some pop and rock elements. Peter Eldridge joins Emma on vocals here. "Didn't know that I could miss you quite this much." This is another of my personal favorites. The album then concludes with "Waste No More Days," which features a cool bass line with a funky vibe. "Neither here and neither there/Wondering if I want to stay/But there's so much on the line/To just throw it all away." There is delicious bass work throughout the track, especially that lead a couple of minutes in. Amy Azzara and Faith Quashie join Emma Hedrick on vocals. And we are left with the message of the song's title, "Waste no more days/Waste no more days/Waste no more days," something that's important to keep in mind during these uncertain times.
CD Track List
- The Idea Of Love
- Dreamscapes
- Newcomer
- In The Warmth
- Tone Poem In Greenwich Village
- Spring Haiku Collection
- Inside Your Mind
- In The Garden
- Come On Home
- Waste No More Days
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