Josienne Clarke – I Promised You Light
Corduroy Punk Records – 4 February 2021
“I don’t have to earn/ I can be/ I’m not your workhorse/ Or your busy bee/ And I won’t be your cash cow/ Now I will be the one/ If I’m making money/ Then I want some.”
The video for the single Workhorse (lyric extract above) sees Josienne Clarke in roller boots, glittery eye makeup, a shiny dress with silent disco headphones on. Her comical attempts at skating become a kaleidoscope as the disco lights flash and she begins to find her feet.
It’s a fun metaphor for the artist’s first steps in resuming her solo career. But the truth is a little different. Ever since the singer, guitarist and songwriter broke free with her 2019 album In All Weather, she hit the ground running with a collection of superlative, sensitive and open-hearted songs about life, love loss and (sadly) cruelty.
Last year’s A Small Unknowable Thing demonstrated that it was far from a one-off. In his Folk Radio review, Danny Neill wrote, “This will stand the test of time because it is an album that the artist had to make. These songs are so direct, showing an immediacy born of frustration and inspiration.” He concluded: “Where she goes from here should be fascinating.”
Well, here’s the answer: another confident and sassy collection of songs, this time with a hefty dose of positivity. It’s a half album with whole life and energy of its own. The EP was recorded in four days and – for the first time since the pandemic – in-person with Josienne’s full band.
The joy of making music together exudes from the recordings, and the songs are confident and lyrical. They certainly feel like they could break free from the folk zone. Workhorse didn’t sound out-of-place played on Radcliffe and Maconie’s Radio 2 show in the company of PJ Harvey and Cat Power. In fact, right now, Josienne is much more akin to those two unflinching, powerhouse singer-songwriters.
The first single from the EP, Driving at Night, is a supreme example of what you get. Driving proto-electronica with strident drums, guitar, bass and keyboard, over which Josienne soars with her confessional, witty and often biting lyrics, all delivered with her peerless tone and phrasing. You never miss the emotional intent of her songs which – while personal to her – also resonate with the listener. It’s an emotionally honest but shared experience. But there’s also a shift in perspective with more acceptance and compassion. Towards herself as well as others.
The closing track, I Promised You Light, is the culmination of this new dawn, being the most openly joyous track that Josienne has so far produced. With its tick-tock percussion and lively piano figure, it’s Josienne Clarke with added exuberance, and all the more welcome for it. We’ve all – not least Josienne – had a tough few years, so a bit of positivity is doubly welcome.
I Promised You Light (the whole album) seems to mark a turning point, bursting with possibilities of the next steps for one of the most captivating and affecting musical artists around right now. As someone once said, where she goes from here should be fascinating.
I Promised You Light is out today. Order via: https://ffm.to/ipromisedyoulight