Amy-Jo – Young, In Love and Broke

Amy-Jo’s new single ushers in a more multi-instrumental sound. ‘Young, In Love and Broke’ contains a gamut of genres to tell a story of love that, without getting too political, is set on the wrong side of the tracks. References to finance, housing and wellbeing read a little like the experience of many in a cost-of-living crisis, with the message here being that love overcomes. For “what use are possessions / if we’re each other’s obsession”, she asks, amidst a blues-style soundtrack that simultaneously relates to and elevates above the narrative. Circumstance becomes celebratory and conditions sacrificial in pursuit of a relationship that seems only to grow stronger, thanks in part to a very empathetic electric guitar. Her trusty acoustic combines with tinkling piano and heartfelt pedal steel to create a positive mood in the face of a trying situation. It all makes the central line “funny how it scares some folk / when you’re young, in love and broke” rather ironic. Yet the final word, spoken so plainly at the song’s end, which jars on a first listen, actually adds a sense of realism which means that, for all its whimsical musicality, there lies a real-world scenario at its heart. Amy-Jo as usual strikes the right balance between the two, as any accomplished singer-songwriter would, especially in the world of Country Music.

Featured Image (C) Amy-Jo