The Amanda Emblem Experience Provide Eclectic Offering On Latest Release

Hailing from Queensland, Australia, The Amanda Emblem Experience have been releasing music for some time. With two albums already under their belt, the Aussie outfit are back with their latest EP, the sublime ‘Power of One’. 

Opening with the title track, the band ease us into their most recent offering as soft acoustic guitar plucking is joined by harmonised backing vocals. The song itself has a positive message, as singer Amanda Emblem emphasises the power of your own ability. ‘Power of One’ never truly climaxes, instead it softly builds into a crescendo of distant guitar solos and a chorus of a gospel choir as the singer proclaims “That’s what I call, that’s what I call a revolution”. 

Follow-up ‘Empty House’ delves into ska as bopping acoustic guitar combined with simple but swaggering drumbeats bring some tempo to the EP. The track is the most interesting on the album, both musically and lyrically. “Empty walls, potential is so great” croons Emblem as she hints at the joys of a fresh start on a blank canvas, and the excitement that can bring. It is a perfect example of the positivity that bursts through the early sections of the EP. As Emblem herself states - “I hear the future right now”. 

‘Hang Your Hat’, with its plodding country vibes and gentle harmonica, transports me immediately to ‘Dirty Old Town’, a song about the city of Salford, made famous by The Pogues and The Dubliners. The fact an artist from Australia, a country a thousand miles away from the North West of England, both literally and figuratively, can take a listener away and remind them of one of the world's great Irish songs, shows the superb musicianship they possess. It’s even more special when you realise that you have already treated us to an eclectic mix of genres in this short release thus far. 

The genre-mixing doesn’t end on the EP’s penultimate track either, as ’Mitchell Creek Blues’ does what the name suggests as its dirty guitar tones and snarling solos bring some swagger to the party. 

Interestingly, the EP closes on an acoustic reworking of ‘Empty House’. It brings into light the meaning of that track and how fresh beginnings are something to be embraced and not feared. It’s ironic that every track The Amanda Emblem Experience brings to you feels like a fresh start, where they aren’t shackled by genre or style. It will be exciting to see where they go next. 

James Ogden 

Image: ‘Power of One’ Official EP Cover