Yana - Distant Shore EP Review

By

Readers of this blog will be no stranger to Yana. She is a singer songwriter who has strong ties to Ireland but is based in Czech Republic. Between September 2019 and March 2020, Yana released three singles in the lead up to her brand new debut EP Distant Shore. The three singles that feature on the EP were Distant Shore, Will You Be There? and Trapped In A Cage. The only song from the EP not previously released is The Book Of Your Life. Yana calls this song her special song as it is a tribute to the late Fergus O'Farrell of Cork band Interference. In a touching appreciation, the EP was released on June 30th to coincide with Fergus' birthday. The EP is available to stream on SoundCloud or to purchase on CD from Bandcamp. Links to both are below.

Watch the video for The Book Of Your Life here:


The EP begins with the title track Distant Shore. This song was written about the abortion referendum of 2018 and features Liam Ó Maonlaí of Hothouse Flowers fame on piano and backing vocals. There's a haunting playfulness to this song. Yana's unique delivery tackles the seriousness of the subject whilst the music adds a mischievous element. 
Will You Be There? also features Liam Ó Maonlaí and finds Yana offering up absurdly satisfying vocals . The combination of the stunningly beautiful piano and the aggressive guitar chords really drive the song home. 
Trapped In A Cage features the cello talents of Elaine McCarthy from The Lost Gecko. The strings add a whole new dimension to the eerie music that Yana creates. Yana's Irish accent is very evident on this song especially on the whispering parts.
The EP concludes with The Book Of Your Life which was co-written with Liam Oragh and fetaures The Frames' Colm Mac Con Iomaire. This track is unlike the other three as it is of a more upbeat nature and is a celebration of life. It's clear that Yana poured her heart into these lyrics with a very fitting tribute to the late singer.


Follow Yana:
SoundCloud
Twitter
Facebook
Spotify
YouTube
Official Website
Bandcamp



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Foot Squeaker - No Connection Single Review

By
Image
Foot Squeaker are a three piece rock band from Gorey, Wexford. The band is made up of Diarmuid Comerford, Mick Byrne and Mike Lynch. They formed in 2018 when Diarmuid and Mike wanted to start a band with one rule: keep it hard and fast. In 2019, Mick joined the fold and the band rehearsed for the next several months. Their first gig was at The Gap Arts Festival where they received a great reception. In January 2020, the band recorded four track at Hellfire Studios in Dublin. The first to be released will be the band's debut single  No Connection on May 29th. The song was tracked live during the recording session. The music video was shot on the deserted streets of Gorey within the 2km travel radius. Watch the video here: No Connection is a rip roaring hard rock song. The band's sound is immense with the bass being particularly delicious. The chorus is catchy as fuck and will be stuck in your head for ages after listening. Foot Squeaker are a really exciting ba
Read more

Logan J Parker - Cry Cry Cry Single Review

By
Image
Logan J. Parker is a singer songwriter living in London but originally from Portugal. Logan is also a producer, pianist and guitarist with sound steeped in 60's rock n' roll, soul and blues. She is also a part of the musical wing of Extinction Rebellion. Her influences include T Bone Walker, Amy Winehouse and Leonard Cohen. Whilst working in a bank job that she hated, Logan had a health scare which showed her that life is short and time can't be wasted doing something you hate so that's when her musical journey began. In 2016 she moved to London to compose her own music which she recorded in a fully solar powered studio and through her own independent company meaning that she owns all of the copyright to her music. In late 2019 Logan released her self titled debut EP. She recently released a single from that EP called "Cry Cry Cry". Watch the video for "Cry Cry Cry" here: "Cry Cry Cry" is a bluesy jazz number. It's
Read more

Logan J. Parker - Blue Single Review

By
Image
Logan J Parker is a singer songwriter from Portugal but currently residing in London. Just a couple of weeks ago I reviewed her single Cry Cry Cry and now she returns with her latest single Blue. About the song, Logan says " Blue is another sad song I wrote about the lockdown and it's dedicated to my mother and best friend Rita. Without her, I wouldn't be a musician." Watch the video here: Blue is a quirky upbeat jazz track and is Logan's first foray into the ukulele. The happy vibes of the music and Logan's vocal delivery masks the sadness in the lyrics. This song will put you in a  good mood for the rest of the day.  Follow Logan J Parker: Twitter Instagram Facebook Spotify Official Website SoundCloud YouTube
Read more