Love Life
Music Building, 2020
8/10
A renaissance woman who has had much success in acting, producing and sculpting, as a singer-songwriter, Tawny Ellis draws from life experience on this personal effort where Jesse Siebenberg, Ted Russell Kamp and Gio Loria help illuminate the soulful song craft on this 5th album.
The title track starts the listen with pretty, soaring vocals from Ellis as the music delivers a dreamy, melodic setting where an Omnichord is present , and “Moonshine” follows with a calmer display of soulful song craft that’s both folk and country influenced.
Near the middle, “No More” quickly builds into an introspective roots rock stunner with plenty of lap steel, while “Deep End Of Love” illustrates the depth of Ellis’ strong vocals on the haunting album highlight. “I Believe”, another strong track, then flirts with country rock as all sorts of warm melodies enter the flowing atmosphere amid plenty of guitar fun.
Near the end, “Daddy” trims the climate back to balladry as piano guides the emotive outpouring, and “Dirty Work”, a Dan Steely cover, exits the listen with elegant violin complementing the intimate, slow burning finish.
Sometimes heavily layered and other times stripped bare, with multiple producers on hand there’s much variety to be found as Elllis creates a unique brand of Americana that makes an immediate impression and only gets better with repeated listens.
Travels well with: Teghan Devon- Little Lion; Sarah Morris- All Mine