Album Review: Jack & Amanda Palmer - You Got Me Singing

Never shy of walking the line between art and life, this project began as an excuse for Amanda Palmer to see more of her dad, Jack, after her son was born.

The title track (and Leonard Cohen cover) is led by Jack and, while his allegiance to Cohen is clear, his low and strong linger has clearly made its way to Amanda. The low-pitched, slightly eerie duet style continues throughout the album, tightly sung in close harmonies. Making their way through an eclectic collection of original artists (from Cohen to Lucy and Carly Simon, Richard Thompson to Melanie, Sinead O'Connor and Noah Britton), each are supported with echoey keys and simple strings. The result just kicks you like the best old school, earnest country-folk should (In The Heat Of The Summer), while there are some sweet pauses too (Amanda's Kimya Dawson cover All I Could Do retells being just on the edge of motherhood).

There are also some moments that are wonderfully strange (1952 Vincent Black Lightning,  Louise Was Not Half Bad), with the latter sounding like a leftover from The Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs. To bring it home are songs you didn't realise you knew (the traditional Skye Boat Song), serving to draw the listener out of comparisons and towards just enjoying the unusual collection of songs (and making you wonder what possible covers were also left on the cutting room floor).

A slow collection of sounds, but great for a bit of mellow, late night listening.