Emma Cook Of the Morning
Indie-folk artist Emma Cook has recently released her latest long-player, Of the Morning, an exploration of personal transformation.
Cook says, “I’ve always had a lot of ideas, and I’m trying not to minimize the fact that as a self-employed indie musician it’s a really big deal that I was able to see this Big Idea through.”
Of the Morning probes the concept of radical fluxes: the pandemic, motherhood, the chaos of the world, moon cycles, and fears about climate change. Yet it also reveals the beauty found in commonplace, small things that make up life.
Of the Morning is, in Cook’s words, “a tender chronicle about growing the f** up.”
The album marks Cook’s movement away from self-producing her music. Working with producer Katie Martucci, Cook discovered a whole new world of possibilities, which endowed her with a fresh direction.
The foundation of the album was laid down in Brooklyn with recording engineer Dylan Mckinstry, while the finishing sheen was applied with engineer Ben Sanders in Nashville. Scott Hudley handled the mixing chores, and Philip Shaw Bova mastered the album.
Players on the album include Cook (vocals, piano), Katie Martucci (acoustic guitar, vocals), Dylan Mckinstry (percussion, Zither, vocals), Allie Chipkin (vocals), Ben Sanders (piano, organ, bass), Mark Raudabaugh (drums), Michael Rinne (bass), Lizzy Ross (vocals), Sam Talmadge (electric guitar), Tree Palmedo (trumpet), and John Cushing (trombone).
From an initial 14 tracks, Of the Morning was boiled down to eight tracks. Entry points include “Forbidden Fruit,” with a lightly chugging melody tinted with tangs of folk rock that give the tune a charming, beckoning flavor. Cook’s gentle vocals imbue the lyrics with caressing tones dipped in nuanced ambiance.
A personal favorite because of its slow, drifting flow and low, braying organ, “1229” finds Cook showing off her voluptuous, Diva-like voice – at once smoky and silky and visceral. There’s an exquisite neo-soul/neo-jazz lilt to her voice, a kind of sing-song teeter-totter effect that’s wickedly appealing.
Softer and more like an adult lullaby, the title track engages listeners with its irresistible rhythmic pulse and pitter-pattering motion. Cook’s slightly breathy vocals give the lyrics a luscious, tender feel.
For some reason, “You Are Not Alone” summons up suggestions of Tracy Chapman. Probably because of the acoustic guitar and Cook’s inflected vocals that evoke warm emotions.
Emma Cook makes songs like Rumpelstiltskin, spinning indie-folk melodies into gold via instinct and her remarkable voice.
Discover more about Emma Cook here.