Gloria J - Edge Of Darkness

Hear The Track Here

Most probably the first thing that will strike you about this track is that Gloria has a distinctly un-Gloria like voice. Matter of fact, in tone and delivery she sounds remarkably like one of my favourite folk singers: Dave Swarbrick, a folk icon from the early 1970's culminating in his involvement with the legendary Fairport Convention. So, judging by that, it is fair to say that Gloria J operates in the folk genre although there is a distinct tinge of 'old school' folk about as practiced by the Fairports, Stealers Wheel, The Strawbs and other luminaries of the Golden Age of folk rock.

Gloria J is, in fact, a cross gender artist who I first came across when I reviewed Wheels Within Wheels (March 2006). Very nice track as it happens, of course it would help if you actually liked folk, especially the earlier sounds associated with the genre. As I commented about that earlier track, one voice one guitar is NOT the folk I am referring to; this is a much subtler, expansive style more commonly known as English Traditional music as opposed to the folk espoused by - say - Woody Guthrie. As such, again, Gloria pins the format to a T, authentic and proud of it.

Oh we are not perfect, she wails, but on my books this is as close as it gets...

One of the highlights of Wheels Within Wheels was the crystal clear production; the bouncy bass and the layering of guitars that gives these tracks their lightness of being. Over the space of two tracks Gloria J has shown me two things about her music: 1) a thoroughoing professionalism that infuses her work and 2) her ability to crank out some absolutely wonderful songs. Wheels Within Wheels already sits on my hard drive since the review and this one is sure to join it. Class English tradecraft encased in a mix that is just so light you could eat it between meals. So, Gloria, what are the chances of seeing some lyrics to this? It's obviously a very personal song, and it might be more understandable if the 'incident' were a little more obvious (although I can take a few educated guesses). Still, it's your song and your story, say it how you will, so long as you keep pumping out beauties like this.

Highly Recommended