2009 has seen the pop charts dominated by the solo female with Lady Gaga and Lily Allen creating a monopoly at the top of the hit parade but another female songstress can’t have escaped your attention in recent weeks. Fair play to her promoters as Emmy The Great has had a great deal of coverage in the run up to her debut albums release but if this is the first time you’ve heard of her, don’t confuse her with an overnight sensation.
The past few years has seen Ms. The Great (okay, her surname is Moss) trudging up and down the country with support slot after support slot so you kind of expect her to handle her current tour when all eyes are upon her with a degree of comfort. Certainly, Edinburgh should hold no fear for her after she supported Get Cape Wear Cape Fly here and performed better than him. Mind you, Geoff Capes wearing a cape and not flying would be better entertainment than “Jack” Duckworth and his soapbox ranting.
The set started rather meekly with the intricate tales of love and loss seemingly more suited to bedroom listening than hushed venues but by the time ‘First Love’ sparked to life, the set followed suit. Possibly because the chorus was half inched from elsewhere, this track had the first set of hooks that stuck with the listener but as the melodies improved, the strong quality of the lead vocals shone through.
The middle part of the set was easily the strongest with ‘24’ having a majorclaim to being the best track of the evening and the best showcase for Moss’s undeniable talent. However, its also apparent that theres not enough talent for a major headlining performance yet as the remainder of the show dragged to a halt through a number of uneventful songs.
The stage presence is there, the lyrical tales are there and the singing voice is definitely included in the overall package but until Emma-Lee Moss learns to bundle it all together with some more memorable tunes she will only be remembered as Emmy The Might Have Been Great.