You can't help but be cynical. A singer songwriter that leaves England for a goat farm in Australia the returns to England with some new songs and renewed ambition and then gets discovered. That's the story of Emily Maguire and who am I to disagree with a press release.
"Believer" is her third album. Third albums are notoriously difficult. Fame either grabs the songwriter and leaves them with only songs about lawyers and limousines or fame avoids them and they descend into self loathing. Fortunately, neither option seems to apply to Emily Maguire. This album instead displays a warm, and rather endearing, sentimentality. Her voice just soothes your ears. It really does. There were moments - as with "Anything You Do" or "Woke Up" - when that reviewer's cynicism just got swept away being replaced by a curious feeling of satisfaction. It's the sort of effect that Shelagh McDonald or Janis Ian has on me.
Whilst there is undoubted intelligence in her song writing, the presentation of the songs is unthreatening almost as if to disguise her true message. Emily Maguire sounds close to the mainstream but, given how well this album stands up to repeated plays, she is way too good to be dismissed as mere radio fodder. Pay attention to her - you will be rewarded.