After a couple of years away, Izzie Walsh picks up where she left off. Her debut album ‘Where Do We Go from Here?’ is a continuation rather than evolution of her sound. That familiar Americana – haunting and enchanting in equal measure – remains the defining feature around lyrics that shimmer with deep simplicity. Whether it be songs of love or loss, each features an arrangement of strings that is compelling. A repetition of lines that convey so much in such a succinct way. There are no broad brushstrokes here when it comes to variations in genre. Hers is thoroughly tied to a particular choice of instrument. The banjo, mandolin, violin, viola and guitars serving to create cacophony and contentment in the context of each track.
The biggest shift comes in ‘British Summertime Rain’ as an ethereal Celtic wave suddenly crashes onto rockier ground. The percussion punching through into a second half that retains the same repeating chorus as the first, but with more immediacy. As if the “hearts grow[ing] wild” abruptly burst into full bloom. Such shifts in tempo and temperament become a distinct style across all ten of the album’s offerings. But for all that similarity, Izzie Walsh produces a fascinating whole. ‘Where Do We Go from Here?’ asking pertinent questions about life in the midst of uncertainty. ‘Set Back’ a central pivot on which they hang, while the title track’s bridge offers something of an answer:
“All the times I thought were wasted / were only there to make and test me / to show me how to live and grow”
It feels like the result of some deep reflective work. Izzie Walsh encapsulating her findings in a set of songs whose ideas have ruminated in a mind now ready to let them go. All they need is to find those fellow souls who find themselves in a similar position, and when they do, ‘Where Do We Go from Here?’ will be like finding a most welcome companion.
You can read my earlier review of the album’s opening track ‘I Need You More’ here. To purchase the album, visit Izzie’s website here, or you can stream it on your preferred platform.
Featured Image (C) Izzie Walsh Music
