While it’s not inconceivable that Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell met one another in the former’s lifetime, I’d wager that the likelihood of them having produced any offspring is highly improbable. I don’t know Ellie Ford’s age (she certainly doesn’t look old enough to have been born between 1968–1974) but you can find the musical DNA of Drake and Mitchell all over her debut EP. Fortunately, the five songs here demonstrate that she’s no mere hybrid carbon copy, and although there are moments where a chord change or finger picked acoustic guitar recalls Five Leaves Left, Ford’s distinct vocal delivery and knack for an unexpected melodic turn elevate her from being another paint-by-numbers folk artist.
‘Too Late’ is wonderfully soporific in a similar way to some of Mazzy Star’s sleepier moments (which is saying something, given the Californian band’s penchant for drowse-inducing ambient folk). As well as playing guitar, Ford is also an accomplished harper (I’ll resist the urge to use well-known idiom involving additional strings here). I’m a sucker for a nice bit of harp; imagine The Beatles’ ‘She’s Leaving Home’ without the harp and it’s not nearly as moving. Ford uses the instrument on two of the songs, ‘A Word to the Wise’ and ‘Low’, and the latter is the standout track on the EP (watch and listen to the video clip below). The songs on Show Night In may take a while to seep in, but patient listeners will be rewarded with a set of haunting folk lullabies.
Paul Sng
@sng_paul
Paul Sng
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