Be A Jane Records

***1/2

It’s hard to know what to expect of a debut album from an unfamiliar group, especially when the songs are entirely original, but I was pleasantly surprised by THE LIGHT YEARS. From the opening acoustic guitar strumming of Stones On The Road right through to the fading piano notes of the closing This Old World, I was transfixed. The warm harmonies and silky melodies of Ashley Riley and Sarah Bonsignore evoke the kind of 1960s-era folk tunes that reverberated through dark, wood-panelled bars in the Village. Both acclaimed solo artists, who have enjoyed success writing music for film and TV, they came together from disparate backgrounds. Classically-trained pianist Sarah from South Africa has been educated in opera and musical theatre, whilst guitarist Ashley, from rural Illinois, is steeped in folk, Americana and rock music. The pair met and bonded at a sync songwriting retreat and proved to be a natural fit. Combining their haunting, otherworldly vocals with Ashley’s earthen guitar playing and Sarah’s exquisite keyboards, embellished with the tasteful addition of electric guitar, drums, percussion and strings, their acoustic vibe would be equally at home in a hip West Coast coffee shop, a music festival, or a suit-and-tie concert hall. 

Here we have two musicians who, can not only hold a tune more than well, but turn out finely crafted lyrics born of surprising literary interests and influences, each coated in a richly melodic beauty. There’s a wistfulness to Gotta Leave A Good Thing, with John Willis’ tasteful electric guitar laying out a solid foundation as their purely melodic vocals spiral higher and higher. Speed Of Life weaves a narrative from childhood to old age through the lens of true artists. With captivating snapshots that comprise a well-lived life with the message to savour both the little and big things in life as and when you can, because they’ll all be gone before you know it.

Dramatic piano and strings open Same Side, a tender ballad of heartbreak realism that showcases the group’s impressive vocal and emotional range. They make you feel less alone, more 'got' as they offer their comforting words of togetherness, boosted by a gorgeous string arrangement. Pretty Baby is sweet, delightful, and sincere; a 1960s throwback folk-pop ditty, warning that spending time making connections on social media looking for something without knowing quite what, is wasting one’s precious time. They move into dreamier realms and flirt with that sort of purgatory between psychedelia and shoegaze, with the title song; it’s light at times, almost like a sort of spiritual effect cresting in all the right spots. Despite its splendour, it’s over and done with in just under three minutes, offering a tantalising preview of a world many of us may never reach, unless we maybe get to live life to the full. Even the up-tempo tunes—Five More Minutes and Running — work towards the same ends. With overwhelmingly pretty tunes that illustrate topics like love, togetherness, and shared humanity with realism and without clichés, the Magnolia Janes have created an impressive debut.

www.themagnoliajanes.com

June 2024