:: Emily Barker & the Red Clay Halo - Despite The Snow

Emily Barker & the Red Clay Halo

When you are the headline act of a tour of England and playing at Glastonbury then you know that as an artist you are well and truly on the way to making it. That is the situation that Western Australian muso Emily Barker has found herself in, along with her band The Red Clay Halo. Touring aside this talented musician has also found time to complete her second album, ‘Despite The Snow’, an amazing follow up to her debut ‘Photos. Fires. Fables’. Fans of Clare Bowditch and The Waifs should be rushing down to their local music store and snapping up this album, as they will fall in love with it straight away. The album's brilliance is on show from track number one. ‘Nostalgia’ is a great mix of acoustic and strings, and there is no wonder this song was snapped up to be used in British TV show ‘Wallander’. Barker’s amazing voice is revealed on ‘All The Love Knows’ and the old-style folk stylings of ‘Disappear’ make it a track you simply can’t skip. Even instrumental tracks like ‘If It’s All Night Long’ and ‘Serendipity’ capture the listener’s ear while the haunting ‘Bloated. Blistered. Aching Heart’ showcases itself as one of the best tracks to be found here. You will find yourself singing along to the fabulous harmony of ‘Bright Phoebus’ while the serious yet smooth ‘Storm In A Teacup’ we make you reflect on how great folk music can be. Barker’s heartfelt songwriting ability is shown on ‘The Greenway’ while it is her vocals that steal the show on ‘Sideline’. ‘Breath’ is an amazing country love song that shows that this genre of music need not be as daggy as many would have you believe while the haunting beautiful harmonies that make album so special return on ‘Oh Journey’. One of the finest folk albums to surface this year, ‘Despite The Snow’ shows just how talented Emily Barker is… this is a star on the rise.