Emma Blackery - Villains

*****

All the 'Villains' she has 'Dirt' on you!!!

Emma Blackery is a Social Media Blogger / Pop Princess with a difference, she puts her life and soul and social ideas and points of view into all her songs. Her lyrics are cleverly written, and she really has something to say. I was also shocked by the quality of her vocals and music, this is an album that you would think had been release by a veteran in the music game. She is at the standard of Kylie Minogue, Madonna or Katy Perry... but it is only her first full length album, and Emma Blackery is only twenty six year old girl from Basildon, who know resides in Brighton. Take all these great female singers, and mix it with the Dance sound of Gay friendly artists like Bright Light Bright Light and the Scissor Sisters... and you almost have Emma Blackery. But she also has something different to these artists...!!!.

You would not believe that she already has one and half million subscribers, and over one hundred and thirty one million video views on YouTube. She also has a Vevo channel for her music videos which has over three and half million views and sixty four thousand subscribers. This is an artist that really is going place, and 'Villians' is her debut studio album. She has released already five EP's, the last of which being 'Magnetised'. This EP really showed her to be a very cool up and coming artist, and got her a string of devoted follers. If you have not got a copy of this EP, I strongly advise you pick one up. Because it is really good, and it will fit nicely in your collection.

'Villians (Part 1)' is the haunting opener to the album of the same name, starting off like Kate Bush meets Portishead and then blending into a track that sounds like Kylie Minogue meets In this Moment and modern day chart Pop. It's a really impressive start to a really impressive album, and shows that Emma Blackery has so much to offer.

'Dirt' the first single to appear on this record is one of my favourite songs on the record, it has a 90's Pop sound to it... and is really catchy and memorible. I found this song going round my head, over and over again, weeks after a first heard it. My favourite line to this song is "I'm the b*tch, that keeps my reciepts", which I think is other people's favourite as well... because they screamed it out at the HMV album launch.

Another single on the album 'Agenda' has a great opening line "Am I not pretty enough for you", which is quite a hard hitting line to open a song with. This song has a great chorus, which when I have seen done live has the whole crowd singing the lyrics to... and chanting "A-G-E-N-D-A". Yes! it has that bubblegum Pop feel to it, but it's far better than that. It has a decent message to it, it's not singing about how much money she has... or how many boyfriends or girlfriends!!!. The song deals with problems, and real life issues. I think Emma really has put messages in her songs, that will help out the youth of today. Some of them are like the self help advice, and topics she covers in her blogs... and I think this is why she is already becoming so popular and will be an important artist for the future.

'Fake Friends' would sound so good in a club, it has a really good groove to it... that builds up as the song goes on. And the chorus flows really well, with a very nice Synth / Keyboard line. This song has again an 90's / 80's vibe to it, and Emma's vocals have a nice tint to them. 'Icarus' has a real modern feel to it, opening with a really soft tone to it. The storytelling in the lyrics is really strong, and the bridge and chorus melodies show this is going to be a big radio hit. I think you will hear this everywhere in the next few months, it's as good as say Robbie Williams 'Angels' or a Ariana Grande or Rita Ora hit song.

'Take me Out' is a song that really grows on you, with it's infectious chorus. This is her next single, is already on Spotify, so go over and check it out. I think it is a song that might introduce Emma Blackery to an audience that doesn't know her yet. It is very modern, and has a sound that is very now. 'Petty' is a very clever song, with great lyrics. "You used to call me Pretty, until you took out the R" is the main, and one of the stand out lines to the song. And the weird hook, is just off the hook and makes the song something different. 

I love the House / Dance feel to 'Third Eye', this is like the songs I grew up with when I was a kid, and I think this is one of the strongest songs vocally on the album. This track is very Kylie Minogue Esq., and I simply love it. This song is perfect for the dancefloor at G-A-Y, I hope to hear it there soon. It's such a strong Dance / Pop song, with some many nice hooks and sequences. I have already heard it is a fan favourite, which loads of requests for her to play it live. She takes things down next with 'What I felt with You', which is another haunting song. A little Florence + The Machine gone Pop with hints of acts like Girls Aloud or All Saints. 

I like how a lot of the themes of the songs, go with the title of the album. There is a constant flow and concept to the record, which I really love... so many artists don't do concept albums these days and I think they are the best. 'Burn the Witch' is really catchy, and shows how she feels when she angry and has something to say. This again could be another big Radio hit, and this is near the end of the album, so showing that their is no fillers on this record. 'Villains (Part 2)' has great Retro Synth / Keyboard parts to it, and has a good tempo to it... like an old computer game. Backed up with Emma's soothing vocal lines, and the way she builds up her songs with her story telling. The end of 'Villians (Part 2)' is just magical, and shows how strong this artist is. This song also makes you feel your getting to the end of the record, so as it finishes you know your listening to an album that you will be listening to for years.

Review by Dan Devour

Check Out! the Video for 'Dirt' Below...