Album Review: Fools and Orphans by Jo Gabriel

Album Name: Fools and Orphans
Artist: Jo Gabriel
Year/Label: 2008 / Kalinkaland Records

[Buy at Jo Gabriel Official Site]

Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell

I’ve reviewed Jo Gabriel here before and she’s always done amazing stuff.
This one is out now in a limited edition and will be available more widely thorough Kalinkaland soon.

Jo is an amazing singer and pianist and she puts both skills to use here.

“Fable Honey” has a fabulous piano bit and a breathless vocal lead nicely offset by Stephanie’ Rearick’s trumpet.

Later on the equally fabulous Hannah Fury joins in so this album is a meeting of goddesses.

“I shudder for the clouds have tempted madness” has a suitably airy vocal and a shuddering sense of unease as Gabriel plays her piano.

“How the Devil falls in love” is almost unbearably lovely, Gabriel’s vocals betray a Kate Bush influence.
The instrumentation is sparse but effective and Gabriel’s mastery of her chosen form becomes obvious.

The closing “Poison in the well” sees her ever-wonderful singing voice a haunted melody.

She’s definitely worth investigation and her album’s great.

Track Listing
1. Bulldozer
2. Fable Honey
3. Vacant Little Stare
4. Firefly
5. I Shudder For The Clouds Have Tempted Madness
6. Cellophane
7. The Habits Of Shadows
8. How The Devil Falls In Love
9. Of Love And Ether
10. God Grant She Lye Still
11. Poison In The Well

[Jo Gabriel Official Site]

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