Songstress Esmé Patterson has crafted a bright, bold and intriguing collection of songs that give voice to music's most known – and famously silent – female muses.
In Valentine, Patterson offers a wonderfully catchy response to the narrator of Elvis Costellow's hit, Alison. "Often times when a relationship ends, one party will hold on more, longer and harder than the other. Elvis Costello's song Alison is an extreme example of a guy holding on longer and using the intimacy once had in the relationship to cause hurt again. I took the opportunity to speak on her behalf, to say: dude, we broke up a long time ago; it's none of your business who I sleep with or where I've been." Patterson's songs offer a smart, distinct response to these old-time hits, but they are also a challenge, asking the listener to reconsider the idea that these original, much loved songs about women shouldn't be considered sacrosanct. A small faction of Costello fans took offence at Valentine, but the man himself Tweeted his pleasure at this call-and-response style, much to Patterson's joy.
After a fair amount of touring for Woman To Woman, Patterson is taking some time off – a necessary rest before she begins her upcoming US tour with William Elliott Whitmore. In the meantime, she'll be feathering the nest of her new Portland home, where she will be busy working in her garden, planting seeds and potting new blooms. She's honey-throated and green- fingered, then? "I am learning to have the patience to watch things grow. I can't say I'm terribly gifted in that way, but am hoping to learn." Patterson's Woman To Woman is available to now at www.esmepatterson.com.
The last Achilifunk album marked the start of something big on the rumba scene and focused attention on the culture and history of the genre.
The beauty of this album is that it's stylised with up-tempo tracks. There's constant energy even when the music drifts into more cosmic places.