You do tend to be wary of talent contest winners like Emma’s Imagination especially when you’ve seen them perform by the light of a standard lamp in a basement bar. It’s only natural, after all, and part of the cynicism overdose that every reviewer ends up taking.
It was therefore something of a surprise to find that Emma Gillespie – it is she who gifts her name to the band – has resisted the temptation to sound like Amy MacDonald. She has instead decided that atmosphere is the be all and end all and has duly bought a job lot of reverb to enliven these six songs. Although the reverb is often overdone, there are moments – who in their right mind could resist “Pour It Out”, for example? – when she gets it so right that the only logical course of action would be to give her all your money.
Still waters run deep and Emma’s Imagination have much more beneath the waterline than first impressions would suggest. One to consider for a long term relationship, I would think, and my cynicism has, fortunately, been overcome.