“5 years ago I decided to start playing my own songs for audiences as a ’solo artist.’ Although I am technically a soloist, I do come draped in musical friends, collaborators, mentors and champions all of which are part of the recipe that results in the music you hear. I have been very fortunate to forge bonds with many wonderful and talented people since I set foot on this path. Some of those people include Tony Berg who produces with me my records. Shawn everett who engineers them. Blake Mills who is one of the most talented SOBs I know. Patrick Warren who not only is a wonderous musician but also went to med school. Quinn who is one of my favourite drummers in LA. Nicole Eva Emery who not only is a dazzling vocalist…but is a smart and sexy bitch as well (except for the fact that she’s going to be a nurse instead of a full-time rocker ;-). Zberg daughter of Tony Berg who is an absolute one of a kind…also smart sexy bitch… Look out here she comes!! Kaveh Rastagar bassist and darling extraornidaire. Stuart Johnson uber talented drummer and darling double. Joe Karnes, wonderful bassist and best kind of company especially when we’re rapping in the car after a show on the late night drive up the 405. The Ditty Bops who undoubtably the most creative witches I know. I miss our walks!! Sasha smith keys whiz and friend from way back home.

Here in the UK I am just starting out but have been fortunate enough to find Jimmy Wallace who is a delight and a wonder on the guitar. Zoe Choitis who is a Greek goddess and a sultry, sexy singer. These people are some, and of course not all, the greatest gifts in my life. To music !! To life!!”

“With this record my aim was to produce as much energy and force with as little sonic information as possible. Layers can be a rathercomplicated recipe. Less is more was our motto. The narrative is at the centre of this record while percussion/drums and electric guitar play the primary supports. I applied as little as possible to each track and was highly protective over the voice and the story it relays. Anything is worth trying and nothing is too precious to mute…this record was relatively effortless and a sheer joy to create!”

“One of my favourite tracks on the record, ‘Whispering Light’, has only a guitar, voice and drums. Another is ‘Feast Of The Heart’ which is made up of just two basses, a totally haphazard drum track, and my voice. The songs were written over a span of like 16 months. As a body of work they sound like they are from the same volume…chapter…or season.”

Hoop was brought up strict Mormon fashion along with her siblings in California, where her childhood was highly musical. She eventually pursued her own path away from her strict upbringing to Wyoming, Arizona where she worked in wilderness rehabitation programmes for troubled youths. She has now moved to Manchester UK to develop her musical career.Opening track ‘Whispering Light’ is a tantalizing enigma of a song. It’s distinctive, stripped-down with an intense bass rhythm, while Hoop exhibits an interesting, natural (rather than spectacular) vocal quality. The main problem for me here is that the lyrics are difficult to hear with the level of clarity needed to fully understand the song. After playing it many times I gave up… The problem is that production has given far too much sonic emphasis to the instruments, and especially that drum rhythm that, while important, becomes intrusive to an irritating degree. ‘The Kingdom’ opens with much more vocal clarity, until those drums come knocking on the door again, and once again I’m lost. Now this is regretful because both these folk-pop songs are highly original, but I hold out hope…

But with ‘Feast Of The Heart’ the situation becomes even worse and ends up being a mess of meaningless noise. ‘Angel Mom’ proves that even the vocals have been badly recorded.

Jesca Hoop shows substantial promise but I’m afraid that this album needs re-recording by someone who understands that for an artist like her, lyrical content and vocal clarity, as well as the music, are key. And it’s a shame because this lady knows how to write and perform, and is distinctive with it. Recorded properly, this album would have received an unreserved buy recommendation. Here’s hoping…

3.4/5