Jessica Pratt – On Your Own Love Again – (Drag City)
DMC World Magazine
It is no exaggeration to say that Jessica Pratt is blessed with one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. Her self-titled first album set the vocals beautifully against a sparse accompaniment, often just a guitar, and her follow-up is no exception, adding some subtle electronics for good measure. Yet this is quite an understated performance from the California singer, which often makes it feel as though you and her are the only two people in the room. This works beautifully on the soothing ‘Wrong Hand’ and ‘Greycedes’, with its wonderful tumbling guitar figure, but it turns a little more awkward with the playful use of fake accents in the title track, which might not to be everybody’s taste. Pratt sets herself modestly, a little far back in the recording picture, which sounds like it was made 40 years ago – tapping into the blissful West Coast vibe of the early 1970s. This album is a beautiful diversion for sure, but the feeling remains that Pratt is working towards her best music. It is definitely worth joining her on that particular journey.
