Artist:     Ana Egge

Album:     White Tiger

Label:     StorySound Records

Release Date:     6.8.2018

86

BUY DIGITAL

BUY PHYSICAL

Ana Egge’s tenth release again features her sweet vocal delivery and an assured grasp of acoustic guitar picking, at times in the style of Mississippi John Hurt, though, in reality, the album could never be called a blues release. Following the deserved success of her previous offering Say That Now, in 2016, when she was backed by a Danish band, the Sentimentals, Egge has again crafted a batch of songs that speak of love, of small-town tristesse and homely comforts, songs that sparkle with honesty and emotion.

The lady herself may be a newcomer to many, but has been working steadily for many years, honing her skills as a singer/songwriter in the traditional US roots music world, touring from time to time and always holding on to her optimism and promise. In recent years she has worked alongside the likes of John Prine, Iris DeMent ( a clear influence), Steve James and Lucinda Williams. Steve Earle has helped out, producing an earlier release at Levon Helm’s old studio in Woodstock, so this is a young lady with a fair pedigree and bags of purpose and ambition.

If pushed to classify her music, it probably falls into the old, US folk-singer-cum-modern Americana, singer/songwriter end of things. But in truth it’s music that speaks to the heart and soul, without ever being too demanding or disturbing. Having previously picked up a number of awards for her writing and performing, Egge may well be looking ahead with hope as her new release features nine self-penned tracks and a John Hartford cover.

With White Tiger, Egge has assembled a fine band and written a bunch of songs that linger in the memory long after the end of the disc. A bit of an unsung delight, this is an album to savour.

—Iain Patience