This is a concept album with a difference.
Instead of pomp and overblown pretention, this remarkable soundscape washes you gently, for the most part, fading you into the blue of sky and sea that pervades each and every track of this extraordinary album.

The story of the album pits a simple English woman, Susannah Hawes against a vengeful, spiteful and capricious personification of History. Susannah and her family emigrated to New Zealand in the latter half of the 19th century and found themselves in a bleak and empty land. Susannah's struggles fail to engage the character of History, who wants to be off to witness war in Europe and has no time for the petty lives of pioneer settlers.

The sparse dark folk melodies frame Jordan Reyne's richly emotional and intense lyrical poetry to perfection, as first Susannah tells her tale followed by History countering and belittling her, as wave follows wave lapping on the barren shoreline of Susannah's new country.

The strongest tracks are, to my mind, those putting across the point of view of History who wishes death and oblivion upon Susannah, but to say that implies that some tracks are weaker, not so; however some are more immediate and The Witness, The Proximity of Death and Blood are all songs that will blow you away pretty much on first hearing.

 Jordan Reyne is more than just passionate about this music, she seems to be really feeling those emotions while she is singing and you can almost see the dripping blood, so evocative is her vocal style.

This is an extremely accomplished piece of work from a singer songwriter who is really streets and streets ahead of the crowd of female singer songwriters currently active. Additionally she is an engaging and extraordinary live performer and when she starts to sing you can almost literally hear peoples jaws dropping as they realise what a unique talent they are witnessing.

BUY THIS..... It needs to be heard... loud, and often
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