Album Review: Watching You Think by NEeMA
Watching You Think by NEeMA
Review by Hannah Treagus
Genre: Classic Folk/Rock
Record label: Sony
In a sea of female singer/songwriters, NEeMA stands out for her story-telling ability and gentle melodies; somewhere between the urban tales of Kate Nash and the illustrious lyrics of Nerina Pallot lies NEeMA: the protégé of Leonard Cohen (who also co-produced the album) and very much carving her own path. Her broad appeal is what will sell records but it’s her quirky guitar riffs and intricate lyrics that will make you a fan.
The darkly composed “Jealousy” is a beautifully accurate depiction of a sudden attack of the green-eyed monster. “Instinctual, I agree but so manipulative can it be” sings NEeMA, spoken like someone who knows; this is a theme throughout the album: the feeling that this women has lived and experienced the best and worst of humanity. Her pains and joy are infused among the tortured, stressed guitar strings and distressed lyrics.
In stark contrast is “Elsa’s Lullaby,” which appears to be an ode-like tribute to her horse: “I grieve a little of the brevity of your time here with me.” The stunningly well-crafted lyrics lull the listener into remembering a childhood pet who we never actually met, but grieve along with the singer. These are songs that encourage our own memories while exploring hers too.
Her cover of Dire Straits’ “Romeo and Juliet” is an interesting exploration of young love and that devotion and love is not always enough to make a relationship work: “When are you going to realize it was just that the time was wrong?” While the choice to cover this particular track may seem like a random one, NEeMA’s version of it fits in extremely neatly with the rest of the album’s discussion of life, love and heartbreak.
This is not the album for fans of raucous, hectic music but instead appeals to the lovers of alternative folk and the storytelling joys of artists such as Damien Rice, Emiliana Torrino and Morcheeba. This is an album for quiet introspection, with a glass of red wine after a long day at work: an album for remembering happy memories to and for pondering some of life’s bigger questions. Musically gentle, lyrically intricate and elegantly produced: NEeMA is the female singer/songwriter for 2011.
NEeMA’s album “Watching You Think” will be available to buy or download
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